THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

Rare  Book  Room 
GIFT  OF 

John  W0  Beckman 


University  of  California  •  Berkeley 


* 


.. 


"  He  suddenly  guve  c,n  impatient  jerk,  and  raising  his  arm  strove  to  deal  a 
How  at  his  nurse.  "  Page  52. 


ELLE; 


OR, 


THE  PROMISED  BLESSING. 


BY 

THE  AUTHOR  OF  "TIMID  LUOY.' 


Jk 

tf>a  fatfjer  an*  tf)S  motfjet." 


NEW  YORK: 
DANIEL   DANA,   JR.,   381    BROADWAY. 


M.DCOO. LIX. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1859, 

BY  DANIEL  DANA,  JR., 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the 
,  Southern  District  of  New  York. 


NEW  YORK  : 

BILLIN  AND  BROTHER,  PRINTERS, 
XX,  NORTH  WILLIAM  ST. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I.  PAGE 

THE  WELCOME  ....................................       5 

CHAPTER  II. 
A  SURPRISE  ......................  .  ................     12 

CHAPTER  III. 
THE  JOURNEY  ENDED  ................................     23 

CHAPTER  IV. 
NEW  OCCUPATIONS  .................................     35 


CHAPTER  V. 
THE  WING  ____  ,  ...................................     49 

CHAPTER  VI. 
POOR  NANNY  .....................................     55 

CHAPTER  VII.  , 
A  MOTHERLY  HEART  ...............................     68 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
SOLEMN  LESSONS.  .  .  ................................     81 

CHAPTER  IX. 
LETTERS  ...........  99 


4  CONTENTS. 

H 

CHAPTER  X.  PAGE 

Miss  HANSY'S  STORY 110 

CHAPTER  XL 
THE  DAUGHTER'S  REWARD 117 

CHAPTER  XII. 
SUNDAY  SCHOLARS 125 

CHAPTER  XIII. 
TILDEN  FARM 135 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
LITTLE  JANY 149 

CHAPTER  XV.     ' 
OLD  TEMPTATIONS 166 

CONCLUSION 1V6 


BELLE; 


OR, 

THE  PROMISED  BLESSING. 


CHAPTER  L 

THE     WELCOME. 

AFTER  three  years  of  weary  separation  from 
his  wife  and  children,  Mr.  Cortlandt  was  once 
more  to  be  welcomed  home. 

The  hickory  fire  sent  its  cheerful  blaze  up 
the  wide  chimney,  and  flashed  and  flickered  as 
if  partaking  of  the  general  joy,  while  the  pol 
ished  tea  equipage  and  the  shining  door  knobs 
caught  its  bright  rays,  and  returned  an  answer 
ing  sparkle.  Stretched  back  in  an  arm-chair, 
and  resting  his  feet  on  the  fender,  sat  Willy 
Cortlandt,  the  very  picture  of  perfect  content 
ment  and  quiet  satisfaction. 


1* 

. 


6  BELLE;  OR, 

While  Willy  was  tranquilly  enjoying  the  ex 
pectation  of  the  pleasant  re-union,  so  soon  to 
take  place,  his  sister  Belle  walked  up  and  down 
the  room  in  a  state  of  eager* impatience.  Three 
years  had  made  a  great  alteration  in  Belle  Cort- 
landt,  for  they  had  changed  the  chubby  little 
girl,  who  bade  her  father  "good-bye,"  with  a 
hearty  hug  and  a  shower  of  tears,  into  the  slen 
der  miss,  "just  in  her  teens,"  who  now  so 
anxiously  awaited  his  return. 

"Where's  mother?"  asked  Belle,  after  listen 
ing  to  the  imaginary  sound  of  wheels,  and  peer 
ing  out  in  vain  into  the  darkness  for  the  twen 
tieth  time. 

"Mother?"  said  Willy,  rousing  from  his 
pleasant  reverie,  "Mother? — 0,  here  she  is!" 
and  at  that  moment  the  door  opened. 

"  Mother,"  that  was  just  the  name  for  Mrs. 
Cortlandt,  for  she  had  a  face  that  told  of  love 
and  tenderness,  and  there  was  a  look  in  her  blue 
eye,  that  made  even  the  children  of  strangers 
nestle  at  her  side,  and  take  her  hand  in  theirs. 

Mrs.  Cortlandt  had  hardly  time  to  give  an 
approving  glance  round  the  room,  when  the 


THE   PROMISED  BLESSING.  7 

sound  of  wheels  was  actually  heard,  and  all 
hastened  to  welcome  the  wanderer. 

"  Thank  God,  I  ain  at  home  again !"  said  a 
clear,  strong  voice,  and  the  wife  was  clasped  in 
her  husband's  arms,  and  the  children  received 
their  father's  kiss. 

"  Why,  you  are  almost  as  tall  as  your  mother, 
Belle,"  said  Mr.  Cortlandt,  looking  at  his  daugh 
ter,  with  astonishment  and  pride. 

Belle's  black  eyes  sparkled  with  pleasure, 
and,  drawing  her  slender  figure  to  its  full 
height,  she  moved  forward  with  a  step  that 
"Willy  was  wont  to  call  "the  grand  march  of 
the  generalissimo,"  and  which  his  sister  was  apt 
to  assume  on  important  occasions. 

Willy  Cortlandt,  though  two  years  younger 
than  Belle,  had  it  in  his  power  to  tease  her  most 
unmercifully.  His  quiet  sarcasms  on  the  new 
airs  of  dignity  and  superiority,  she  had  lately 
assumed,  often  put  that  dignity  to  flight,  and 
brought  forth  a  storm  of  angry  words,  which 
Willy  heard  with  a  calmness  that  only  pro 
voked  the  speaker  the  more. 

Willy  felt  that  this  was  no  time  for  such 


8  BELLE;  OR, 

attacks,  but  the  effect  of  his  father's  remark  did 
not  escape  his  notice,  and  he  put  it  by  in  his 
store-house  of  ammunition  for  the  warfare  he 
so  loved  to  wage. 

A  happy  party  sat  round  the  tea-table  at  Oak- 
side  that  evening.  As  Mr.  Cortlandt  looked 
from  face  to  face,  he  candidly  thought  his  wife 
the  sweetest  woman  in  the  world,  and  his  chil 
dren  more  than  equal  to  his  fondest  expecta 
tions. 

During  the  three  years  Mr.  Cortlandt  had 
been  detained  in  China,  in  the  transaction  of 
the  business  that  had  called  him  from  his  home, 
he  had  been  a  close  observer  of  men  and  man 
ners,  and  he  had  many  amusing  particulars  to 
tell  of  daily  life  among  the  Celestials. 

The  evening  passed  rapidly  away  in  pleasant 
chat,  and  all  were  surprised  when  the  clock 
struck  eleven.  "  Belle,"  said  Mrs.  Cortlandt, 
"Belle,  Willy,  it  is  an  hour  past  your  usual 
bed-time — you  may  put  the  Bible  on  the  table, 
daughter." 

Mr.  Cortlandt  did  not  see  the  frown  that  sud 
denly  clouded  the  bright  face  of  Belle ;  he  could 


THE   PROMISED   BLESSING.  9 

not  know  the  rebellious  murmur  that  throbbed 
at  her  heart,  as  she  rose  to  execute  her  mother's 
wishes.  That  angry  look  did  not  escape  the  All- 
seeing  Eye ;  that  proud,  stubborn  heart  was  un 
veiled  to  Him  whose  holy  book  she  now  took 
in  her  hands. 

Mr.  Cortlandt  opened  the  Bible  to  a  Psalm 
of  praise.  His  own  feelings  of  devout  grati 
tude  broke  forth  in  the  words  of  royal  David, 
and  he  read  as  those  only  can  read  who  feel 
what  they  utter. 

"  How  good  and.  noble  he  looks !  How  beau 
tifully  he  reads!"  thought  Belle;  but  her  heart 
was  dead  to  the  feelings  that  filled  the  soul  of 
her  father  and  found  a  full  response  in  that  of 
his  wife. 

For  a  moment  Belle  was  sobered  by  the 
voice  of  prayer.  There  was  something  in  the 
way  Mr.  Cortlandt  addressed  the  Supreme  Be 
ing  which  seemed  to  make  the  reality  of  His 
presence  felt. 

To  the  God  who  had  watched  over  him  in 
his  wanderings,  and  restored  him  in  safety  to 
his  home,  the  husband  and  father  poured  out 


10 

his  thanksgivings.  For  the  wife  of  his  bosom, 
for  the  children,  dear  as  his  heart's  blood, 
he  asked  choice  blessings  from  on  high,  and 
doubtad  not  that  his  prayer  was  heard. 

While  heaven  drew  near  to  the  true  wor 
shipper,  and  a  blessing  was  pledged  for  those 
for  whom  he  prayed,  Belle  was  lost  in  her  own 
wandering  thoughts.  Though  on  her  knees, 
in  the  attitude  of  prayer,  her  mind  was  busy 
with  memories  of  the  past  and  with  plans  for 
the  future. 

The  fervent  "  amen "  which  came  from  the 
lips  of  the  mother,  as  Mr.  Cortlandt  closed, 
roused  Belle  from  her  musing,  and  she  sprang 
from  her  knees  with  a  start. 

"  Good-night,  Belle,"  said  the  father,  placing 
a  candle  in  her  hand,  "  Good-night,  daughter; 
God  bless  you  !  Good-night,  Willy !"  and  the 
children  were  gone. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cortlandt  talked  long  and  late 
that  night  over  the  pleasant  fire.  "  How  love 
ly  Belle  is  looking,"  said  the  husband,  at  the 
close  of  their  conversation. 

A  shade  passed  over  the  expressive  face  of 


THE   PROMISED  BLESSING.  11 

the  mother,  as  she  replied,  "  Yes,  Belle  is  very 
handsome,  I  think,  and  not  at  all  vain." 

The  father  noticed  the  momentary  shadow, 
but  forebore  to  question  its  cause.  He  observed 
the  evasive  answer,  and  dimly  guessed  its  mean 
ing.  It  passed  like  a  cloud  between  him  and 
the  sunshine  of  his  happy  return. 


12  BELLE;  OR, 


CHAPTER  II. 

A     SURPRISE. 

SEVERAL  weeks  had  passed  pleasantly  away 
since  Mr.  Cortlandt's  return,  and  he  had  yet 
seen  but  little  in  Belle  to  justify  the  look  of 
pain  with  which  her  mother  heard  her  daugh 
ter's  praise. 

A  real  wintry  storm  was  having  its  own  way 
without ;  and  within,  something  of  the  same 
kind  seemed  threatening. 

Belle  appeared  at  the  breakfast-table  in  what 
might  have  passed  with  a  casual  observer  as  a 
silent  mood,  but  the  keen  eye  of  her  father  did 
not  overlook  the  unpleasant  expression  about 
her  mouth,  or  the  studied  indifference  with 
which  she  met  all  remarks  addressed  to  herself. 

"Belle,"  said  the  mother  gently,  when  Mr. 
Cortlandt  had  left  the  breakfast-room — "Belle, 
I  am  sorry  you  will  not  be  able  to  go  into  town 


THE   PROMISED   BLESSING.  13 

to-day — to  the  exhibition — it  may  be  brighter 
to-morrow,  and  that  will  do  as  well,  you  know." 

"  I  don't  know  any  such  thing,"  said  Belle, 
angrily.  "  I  do  not  see  why  I  am  always  to  be 
disappointed.  I  think  I  am  old  enough  to 
judge  for  myself,  and  I  know  I  could  go  as 
well  as  not,  if  you  would  only  let  me." 

"  I  do  not  think  it  best  for  you  to  go  to-day," 
said  Mrs.  Cortlandt,  quietly  turning  away. 

"  You  think  best,"  said  Belle,  contemptuously. 
"  Who  do  you  think  I  am,  that  you  talk  to  me 
as  if  I  were  a  baby  ?  I  do  think  a  mother  is 
the  greatest  torment  in  life !" 

The  hall-door  had  been  ajar  during  this  con 
versation,  and  now  it  was  suddenly  thrown 
open,  and  Mr.  Cortlandt  stood  on  the  threshold. 
"  Belle  1"  said  the  father,  in  a  tone  where  stern 
ness  and  sorrow  were  mingled. 

"Father!"  retorted  the  angry  girl,  in  a  tone 
as  stern  as  his  own — and  her  large  black  eyes 
looked  him  full  in  the  face,  with  a  determined 
stare. 

"  My  dear  child,  think  what  you  are  doing," 
said  the  mother,  earnestly. 


14  BELLE;  OR, 

"  We  can  get  on  without  your  advice,"  said 
Belle,  with  another  of  those  contemptuous  looks. 

Two  strong  hands  were  placed  on  the  shoul 
ders  of  the  astonished  girl,  and  before  she  could 
recover  from  her  surprise,  she  was  marched 
across  the  hall  into  the  library  opposite,  the 
door  was  closed  and  locked,  and  she  was  left 
alone.  It  cost  her  a  moment's  thought  to  re 
member  what  all  this  was  about.  She  had  but 
spoken  to  her  mother  in  a  way  to  which  she 
was  too  well  accustomed,  and  yet  a  scene  had 
occurred  which  seemed  to  make  the  matter  of 
importance. 

Shame  and  pride  contended  in  her  heart,  as 
she  thought  of  the  look  of  reproof  that  had 
flashed  from  her  father's  eyes,  but  pride,  alas ! 
got  the  mastery. 

Belle  strove  to  calm  her  agitated  feelings,  and 
resolved  to  take  a  book  and  read,  as  if  nothino1 

'  '       O 

unusual  had  happened.  This  was  at  first  rather 
a  difficult  matter,  but  she  had  selected  a  volume 
of  Scott's  poems,  as  among  her  particular  favor 
ites,  and  she  at  length  lost  all  knowledge  of  the 
flight  of  time,  while  poring  over  the  "  Lady  of 


THE  PROMISED  BLESSING.  15 

the  Lake."  Meanwhile  the  mother  had  reluc 
tantly  confessed  the  increasing  waywardness  in 
Belle,  which  had  latterly  tried  her  sorely. 
While  the  father  listened,  both  sorrow  and 
indignation  from  time  to  time  prevailed  in  his 
face. 

"  I  think  I  shall  subdue  her  in  the  end,  by 
gentleness,"  said  Mrs.  Cortlandt.  "  A  few  years 
hence  she  will  look  back  to  this  period  as  a  wild 
dream." 

"  Yet  in  those  few  years,  Mary,"  said  the  hus 
band  solemnly,  "  she  may  call  down  on  herself 
the  curse  of  offended  Heaven.  She  shall  not 
lay  up  for  herself  future  retribution  if  I  can 
help  it.  The  undutiful  child  cannot  be  blessed 
even  in  this  world,  not  to  speak  of  that  eternal 
ruin  for  which  such  unnatural  conduct  is  a  meet 
preparation." 

"You  do  not  know  Belle,  yet,"  said  the 
mother  earnestly.  "  She  is  ungovernable,  but 
she  is  generous  and  affectionate,  as  you  soon 
will  see.  Do  not  be  harsh  with  her." 

Mr.  Cortlandt  looked  into  the  sweet  face  that 
pleaded  for  the  erring  child,  and  his  displeasure 


16  ,  :, ,,.;.  BELLE;  OK, 

increased.  "To  be  unkind  and  undutiful  to 
such  a  mother,"  he  exclaimed,  "  is  a  fearful  sin  ! 
Grod  grant  the  poor  child  may  no  longer  call 
down  on  herself  the  punishment  so  repeatedly 
threatened  in  Scripture  to  such  offenders.  This 
career  must  have  a  sudden  close,  or  it  may  end 
in  woes  temporal  and  eternal." 

Mr.  Cortlandt  left  the  room  with  a  decided 
step,  and  a  determined  air. 

The  hours  passed  on ;  the  mother  was  not 
alone,  for  she  was  holding  communion  with  an 
ever-present  Friend.  Earnestly  she  prayed  for 
her  wayward  child,  and  implored  the  influence 
of  the  Spirit  of  grace  to  soften  that  proud,  un 
repentant  heart. 

Belle  would  have  cast  down  her  book,  and 
thrown  her  arms  about  her  mother's  neck,  if 
she  could  have  seen  that  mother  on  her  knees 
pleading  for  her ;  if  she  could  have  heard  the 
words  of  deep,  tender,  unselfish  affection  in 
which  blessings  were  invoked  on  her  unworthy 
head.  The  daughter  stifled  the  voice  of  con 
science  which  bade  her  "  repent  and  return," 
and  no  supernatural  power  opened  her  eyes  to 


THE  PKOMISED  BLESSING.  17 

behold  the  scene  that  would  have  melted  even 
her  proud  heart. 

When  Mr.  Cortlandt  returned  at  noon  he 
had  a  long  and  earnest  conversation  with  his 
wife.  While  she  still  tenderly  pleaded  for  the 
offender,  she  could  not  Ibut  own  the  justice 
and  true  affection  which  had  made  him  deter 
mine  to  check  his  child,  at  once,  in  a  habit 
of  disrespect  and  disobedience,  which,  if  in 
dulged,  must  insure  the  displeasure  of  Heaven. 

Belle  had  eaten  the  simple  meal  that  had  been 
sent  to  her,  and  was  beginning  to  wonder,  as 
the  afternoon  wore  away,  how  long  her  confine 
ment  was  to  last. 

About  four  o'clock  her  father  entered  the 
library  carrying  her  cloak,  furs,  and  all  that 
she  would  need  to  guard  her  well  against  the 
clear,  keen  air  that  had  followed  the  sleet  of 
the  morning. 

"Get  ready,  as  soon  as  possible,  Belle,"  said 
the  father  soberly,  but  not  sternly,  and  then  he 
instantly  left  the  room.  All  traces  of  the  ex 
citement  of  the  morning  had  passed  away  from 

Belle,  and  she  could  easily  have  forgotten  the 

2* 


18  BELLE;    OR, 

whole  matter,  if  no  farther  notice  had  been 
taken  of  it.  Her  father's  manner,  however, 
roused  her  pride,  and  she  resolved  to  obey  in 
silence  and  ask  no  questions. 

She  was  a  little  startled  to  find  a  stage-coach, 
laden  with  baggage,  at  the  door,  as  she  stepped 
forth  with  her  father. 

"  Get  in,  Belle,"  said  the  voice  of  Mr.  Cort- 
landt,  and  she  mechanically  obeyed. 

There  was  a  stir  among  the  occupants  of  the 
coach,  and  a  place  was  made  for  Belle  on  the 
back  seat,  while  her  father  established  himself 
beside  an  old  gentleman  in  front. 

There  was  something  in  that  old  gentleman's 
face  which  might  have  made  a  stranger  willing 
to  be  his  fellow-passenger  for  a  time,  and  his 
conversation  soon  showed  that  it  would  be  safe 
to  choose  his  companionship,  even  for  eternity. 

Mr.  Cortlandt's  heart  was  too  sad  and  agita 
ted  for  him  to  have  enjoyed  any  conversation 
on  ordinary  subjects,  but  the  themes  touched 
upon  by  his  acquaintance  ever  found  in  him  an 
echo.  The  prospects  of  the  Missionary  cause 
in  China,  the  best  method  of  reaching  the 


THE   PROMISED  BLESSING.  19 

ignorant  and  degraded  in  every  land,  and  the 
motives  set  before  all  Christians  to  join  in  efforts 
to  spread  the  Gospel,  were  the  subjects  under 
discussion. 

Belle  forgot  her  father's  displeasure  and  the 
singularity  of  her  position,  as  she  listened  to  the 
interesting  remarks  made  by  the  old  gentleman, 
and,  for  the  first  time,  there  was  stirred  within 
her  a  wish  to  do  something  in  the  great  work 
of  evangelizing  the  world.  She  had  yet  to  re 
alize  that  her  first  task  was  a  painful  and  ardu 
ous  one,  nothing  less  than  the  bringing  her 
own  proud  stubborn  heart  into  the  gentle  spirit 
of  the  Gospel  of  peace.  Painful,  arduous, 
and  even  impossible  such  a  task  must  have 
been,  undertaken  in  her  own  strength,  yet,  with 
that  unperformed,  she  was  most  unworthy  even 
to  think  of  laboring  for  and  with  God  in  the 
extension  of  His  kingdom  on  earth. 

Many  miles  of  the  hard,  rough  road  had  been 
passed  over,  when  the  stage-coach  stopped  be 
fore  a  mushroom  hotel,  which  had  lately  sprung 
up  by  the  way-side,  fresh  with  whitewash,  and 
shining  with  shutterless  windows.  The  whole 


20  BELLE;  OB, 

party  alighted,  and  Belle  was  shown  into  a  lit 
tle  room  in  which  the  great  clumsy  bed  looked 
much  like  a  huge  animal  shut  up  in  a  narrow 
cage. 

Belle  took  off  her  bonnet,  and  did  not  even 
notice  that  the  looking-glass  was  hung  too  high 
for  her  to  see  her  face  in  it,  even  if  she  stood 
on  tip-toes,  for  matters  of  the  toilet  gave  her 
very  little  uneasiness. 

The  great  bell  summoned  the  passengers  to 
the  tea-table.  Again  Mr.  Cortlandt  was  occu 
pied  with  the  old  gentleman,  and  Belle  had  no 
opportunity  to  speak  to  her  father,  excepting 
when  he  placed  the  candle  in  her  hand,  as  he 
stood  beside  her  in  the  hall,  and  bade  her  good 
night,  with  his  usual  blessing.  Then,  she  felt 
an  impulse  to  ask  his  forgiveness  and  restoration 
to  his  favor.  Pride  made  her  hesitate,  and  stop 
in  silence ;  and  in  a  moment  he  was  gone !  Res 
toration  to  favor  was  what  she  -wanted ;  she  did 
not  yet  feel  the  need  of  forgiveness,  for  what 
seemed  to  her  a  trifling  offence. 

Belle  looked  out  at  the  window  that  graced 
the  head  of  the  bed.  The  stars  flashed  in  the 


THE  PROMISED  BLESSING.  21 

clear  night  air,  and  quiet  reigned  over  hill  and 
frost-browned  meadow.  But  no  voice  spoke  to 
Belle  of  Him  who  has  numbered  the  stars,  and 
fashioned  the  earth  in  beauty:  it  was  of  her 
human  father  she  thought,  as  she  said  to  her 
self  impatiently,  "It  is  of  no  use  trying  to  ask 
his  forgiveness ;  I  do  not  mean  to  think  of 
it  again." 

Mechanically  she  knelt,  and  repeated  her 
evening  prayer,  and  then,  having  put  up  her 
travelling  shawl  as  an  extempore  curtain,  she 
lay  down  to  rest. 

Sleep  seemed  to  fly  from  her.  Of  her  mother 
she  would  not  think.  With  conjectures  as  to 
her  probable  destination  she  wearied  herself, 
arid  on  the  conversation  in  the  stage-coach  she 
at  length  fixed  her  mind.  The  face  of  the  old 
gentleman  rose  up  before  her,  and  she  was 
struck  anew  with  the  wonderful  charm  in  its 
pure,  placid  expression.  Through  it  she  dimly 
understood  that  old  age  is  not  necessarily  ugly. 
Trials  impatiently  borne,  cares  struggled  with 
in  human  strength,  and  evil  passions  indulged 
make  the  harsh  lines  which  grow  and  deepen 


22  BELLE;  OR, 

with  increasing  years.  "  I  wonder  how  I  shall 
look  when  I  am  old  ?"  she  thought.  Conscience 
would  have  given  her  a  faithful  reply,  but  she 
stifled  its  voice,  and  soon  sank  to  rest  to  dream 
of  being  an  old  woman  with  a  hooked  nose, 
living  in  the  little  room  she  now  occupied. 


THE  PROMISED  BLESSING.  23 


CHAPTER   III. 

THE     JOURNEY     ENDED. 

THE  winding  of  stage-horns,  and  the  bust 
ling  of  hostlers  in  the  yard  below  her  window, 
roused  the  young  traveller  soon  after  sunrise. 
She  had  hardly  completed  her  hasty  toilet, 
when  the  waiter  summoned  her  to  the  break 
fast-table.  Her  father  kindly  bade  her  good- 
morning,  and  then  was  soon  absorbed  in  con 
versation  with  his  late  companions. 

The  lumbering  stage-coach  was  at  the  door, 
even  before  the  meal  was  over,  but  it  could 
wait,  and  did  wait,  until  the  nine  inside-pas 
sengers  were  fully  equipped  in  such  wrappings 
as  the  keen  air  made  absolutely  indispensable. 

Belle  felt  grateful,  when  her  father  drew  her 
shawl  more  closely  round  her,  after  she  was 
seated,  and  then  placed  at  her  feet  a  hot  brick, 
which  he  had  thoughtfully  provided  for  her 


24  BELLE;  OR, 

comfort.  These  little  acts  of  attention,  trifling 
as  they  were,  aroused,  for  the  first  time,  a  feel 
ing  of  real  regret  that  she  should  have  offended 
so  kind  and  affectionate  a  parent. 

For  another  long  day  nine  human  beings 
were  shut  up  together.  Shaken  and  tossed, 
rocked  and  tumbled,  as  they  drove  over  the 
rough  road,  until  all  reserve  and  stiffness  were 
banished,  even  from  the  primmest  of  the  com 
pany. 

In  the  various  joltings  Belle  had  thrust  her 
elbows  •unmercifully  into  a  fat  country-woman 
next  her,  and,  by  way  of  making  amends  for 
this  involuntary  attack,  she  had  offered  to  share 
the  contrivance  for  warming  her  feet,  which 
had  kept  her  so  comfortable.  This  little  po- 
literiesr.  opened  the  way  for  an  acquaintance, 
which  ripened  with  wonderful  rapidity.  Belle 
soon  felt  familiar  with  "  our  folks  at  home" — • 
the  constant  theme  of  the  honest  woman's 
conversation. 

"  The  children,"  Belle  already  knew  by 
name,  but  as  to  the  individual  who  was  so 
affectionately  and  respectfully  referred  to  as 


THE   PROMISED   BLESSING.  25 

"Ae"  she  was  left  in  doubt.  This  ambiguity 
was  in  a  measure  done  away  with,  when  the 
coach  suddenly  stopped  before  a  lane  leading 
to  a  comfortable  farm-house,  nestled  far  away 
on  a  hill-side. 

"  This  aint  no  wher' — what  are  we  stoppin' 
for?"  exclaimed  a  countryman,  who  was  on  the 
middle  seat. 

Belle's  stout  acquaintance  made  an  impul 
sive  jerk  forward,  and  laid  her  hand  so 
expressively  on  the  broad  strap  that  shut  her 
in,  that  the  countryman  understood  her  mean 
ing,  and  let  her  out  as  soon  as  possible. 

"  There  he  is !  I  do  declare,  and  all  the 
children,  too !"  exclaimed  the  good  woman  as 
a  stalwart  farmer  came  up  to  give  her  a  hearty 
welcome.  A  large  covered  wagon,  which  had 
been  but  a  moment  before  filled  with  a  joyous 
group,  was  emptied  in  a  moment. 

"  Mother !  mother  I"  was  repeated  from 
mouth  to  mouth,  as  lips  were  put  up  to  be 
kissed,  and  warm  greetings  were  exchanged  on 
all  sides. 

"Mother" — that  sound   sent  a  pang  to  the 
3 


26 

heart  of  Belle,  it  was  spoken  with  such  true 
affection,  such  tender  respect.  When  might 
she  speak  that  word?  How  great  was  to  be 
the  distance  that  would  separate  her  from  the 
mother  she  had  so  little  valued  ?  These  ques 
tions  were  occupying  the  mind  of  the  young 
girl,  when  they  were  not  very  agreeably  echoed 
from  without,  by  the  slender,  eager-looking  old 
woman  who  was  now  at  her  side. 

"I  spose  you'll  be  gettin'  out  soon,  eh?" 
was  interrogatively  urged  on  Belle's  attention ; 
but  she  affected  to  be  watching  the  party 
establishing  themselves  in  the  great  covered 
wagon. 

"Where  are.  you  going,  miss?"  persisted  the 
questioner.  "  I  stop  ten  miles  above,  at  Allen- 
ville.  You  aint  goin'  there,  I  take  it?" 

Belle  was  truthful  and  frank,  and  her  im 
pulse  was  to  say  at  once,  "I  don't  know 
where  I  am  going,"  but  shame  checked  her, 
and  crimsoned  her  expressive  face. 

Her  father  saw  her  embarrassment,  and  said 
promptly,  "  We  are  going  to  Sanders,  only 
two  miles  further  on." 


THE  PEOMISED  BLESSING.  27 

At  these  words  Belle's  heart  throbbed  with 
strong  feelings.  "  Sanders  I"  She  had  never 
even  heard  of  the  place.  "What  was  it  like? 
To  whose  house  was  she  going?" 

A  boarding-school  suggested  itself  to  her 
mind,  and  that  this  was  her  destination  she 
fully  concluded. 

Belle  was  fond  of  young  companions,  and 
the  idea  of  being  among  girls  of  her  own  age 
was  rather  pleasing,  even  under  her  present 
disagreeable  circumstances. 

When  the  stage-coach  made  its  next  stop, 
her  inquiring  look  towards  her  father  was 
answered  by  a  nod  of  assent,  and  she  pre 
pared  to  alight.  . 

She  looked  about  her  for  some  great  build 
ing,  with  a  staring  announcement  of  "Young 
Ladies'  Seminary,"  or  "  Female  Institute," 
posted  in  a  conspicuous  place.  No  female 
seminary,  no  house  of  any  kind  was  in  sight, 
but  a  narrow  cross-road  wound  away  around  a 
hill,  and  seemed,  by  its  freedom  from  the  deep 
ruts  of  the  main  road,  to  be  but  little  used. 

Belle    heard  her    father    say,    "Carry    the 


28  BELLE;  OK, 

trunk  on  to  Sanders ;  it  will  be  sent  for."  Then, 
taking  up  their  travelling  bags,  he  started  for 
ward  on  the  cross-road,  desiring  her  to  do  the 
same. 

In  silence  they  walked  on  together.  Belle 
longed  to  speak,  but  there  was  something  in 
her  father's  sad  and  somewhat  stern  expression 
that  seemed  to  paralyze  her  tongue.  Though 
that  member  was  quiet,  her  eyes  were  doing 
double  duty,  looking  eagerly,  on  all  sides,  for 
some  trace  of  the  point  towards  which  they 
were  tending. 

After  a  long  walk,  a  sudden  turn  in  the 
road  brought  them  in  sight  of  a  small  frame 
house,  with  a  long  brick  wing,  and  a  porch 
large  enough  to  have  accommodated  a  patri 
archal  family.  The  house  stood  in  a  large 
yard,  dotted  with  fruit  trees,  through  which  a 
wide  pavement  made  a  straight  line  from  the 
gate  to  the  door-step. 

In  no  very  enviable  frame  of  mind,  Belle 
followed  her  father  until  he  stopped  in  the 
porch,  and  made  the  shining  knocker  an 
nounce  their  arrival.  The  door  was  opened 


THE  PKOMISED  BLESSING.  29 

bj  an  old  man,  with  his  hat  on,  who  looked 
at  the  strangers  with  every  mark  of  astonish 
ment. 

"Is  Miss  Hansy  at  home?"  asked  Mr.  Cort- 
landt.  The  old  man  had  not  time  to  answer 
before  Mr.  Cortlandt  stepped  forward,  saying, 
"  There  she  is  1"  and  then  advanced  to  shake 
hards  with  the  person  in  question. 

Miss  Hansy's  tall,  slender  figure  was  envel 
oped  in  a  dark  brown  dress,  and  a  simple 
muslin  cap  was  on  her  head.  Belle  did  not 
observe  her  dress ;  at  first  sight  she  could 
only  notice  the  strange  contrast  between  the 
clear,  wide-open,  hazel  eye  that  beamed  on 
one  side  of  her  face  with  gentle  sweetness, 
and  the  tightly  closed  lid  on  the  opposite  side. 

Miss  Hansy  smiled,  and  looked  surprise 
and  welcome  with  her  one  eye,  as  she  heartily 
shook  Mr.  Cortlandt's  offered  hand,  and  ex 
claimed,  "  Why,  Harry  Cortlandt !  I  did  not 
expect  to  see  thee  here!  This  must  be  thy 
daughter.  She  shows  her  father  in  every  fea 
ture." 

"It  is   my  only  daughter,"   said   Mr.    Cort- 
3* 


30  BELLE;  OR, 

landt,  soberly,  "and  after  I  have  had  a  little 
talk  with  you,  you  shall  make  her  acquaint 
ance." 

"  She  must  go  up-stairs  and  lay  off  her 
things,"  said  Miss  Hansy.  "  She  will  find  a 
fire  in  the  spare  room,  as  the  doctor  was  here 
to-day  from  the  city."  So  saying,  Miss  Hansy 
led  the  way  to  a  bedroom  in  the  front  of  the 
house,  and  there  left  Belle  to  herself. 

"  Who  is  Miss  Hansy  ?  Where  am  I  ?" 
thought  Belle,  as  she  looked  round  the  small 
room  into  which  she  had  been  ushered.  Every 
thing  in  it  was  scrupulously  neat,  but  there 
was  a  plain  and  strangely  old-fashioned  air  to 
all  the  furniture.  The  white-curtained  bed 
was  so  high  that  a  pair  of  steps  had  been 
placed  beside  it  to  make  it  accessible.  The 
mahogany  dressing  bureau  was  dark  with  age, 
though  the  brass  lions'  faces,  that  had  held 
the  rings  to  the  drawers  for  so  many  years, 
were  as  bright  as  if  they  had  been  fastened 
on  the  day  before.  Belle  could  hear  the  hay, 
strewed  under  the  carpet,  rustle  at  every  step, 
as  she  moved  about  to  survey  the  premises. 


THE  PROMISED   BLESSING.  31 

"  Where  am  I  ? "  she  again  questioned. 
There  was  no  stir  of  boarding-school  life  in 
the  quiet  house;  no  ringing  of  bells  and  cho 
rus  of  young  voices.  The  old  man,  who 
opened  the  door,  had  looked  as  much  sur 
prised  to  see  them  as  if  he  had  been  a  her 
mit  disturbed  in  his  cell. 

Belle  had  time  enough  to  wonder  and  ask 
herself  questions,  to  which  she  could  find  no 
satisfactory  answer.  More  than  an  hour  had 
passed  in  this  manner  when  there  was  a  slow, 
uncertain  footstep  in  the  hall  without,  and  a 
knock  at  the  door.  Amos,  the  old  man  who 
had  acted  as  porter,  appeared,  as  Belle  an 
swered  the  knock,  with  his  arm  stretched  out 
at  full  length,  holding  a  small  tray,  on  which 
were  a  cup  of  tea,  some  sandwiches,  and  a 
candle. 

"She  sends  good-night  to  the  young  lady, 
and  says  she  better  go  to  bed  early,"  said  the 
old  man,  and  then  disappeared.  There  was  a 
choking  in  Belle's  throat,  as  she  understood 
that  she  was  to  be  left  to  her  loneliness,  and 
she  put  the  tray  down  on  the  table,  and 


32  BELLE;  OR,      -v^ 

turned  towards  the  fire.  The  young  travel 
ler  had  had  a  long  fatiguing  ride  since  dinner, 
and  the  white  bread  looked  very  tempting. 
After  a  few  moments  of  painful  thought, 
Belle,  half  reluctantly,  drew  towards  the  small 
round  table,  and  began  her  simple  meal.  At 
the  taste  of  the  food,  her  healthy,  natural 
appetite  returned,  and  tea  and  sandwiches  dis 
appeared  before  her  in  a  way  that  would  have 
shocked  a  sentimental  miss. 

Belle  was  of  a  cheerful,  lively,  -natural  dis 
position,  and  although  she  felt  her  father's 
altered  manner,  and  was  most  anxious  to 
know  something  of  her  present  abode,  she 
looked  about  her,  after  supper,  in  quite  a 
pleasant  mood.  "  I  wish  I  had  a  book  to 
read,"  she  said  to  herself,  as  she  took  a  seat 
on  a  low  chair  beside-  the  fire. 

She  had  hardly  been  seated  a  moment  when 
there  was  a  greater  stumbling  in  the  hall  than 
before,  and  then  the  broad-shouldered  old  man 
again  appeared,  laden  this  time  with  Belle's 
trunk,  which  he  deposited  in  silence,  and  then, 
taking  up  the  tray,  left  her  again  to  herself. 


THE   PROMISED   BLESSING.  33 

The  key  was  in  the  lock,  and  Belle  was 
glad  to  have  the  occupation  of  looking  over 
the  contents  of  the  trunk,  and  drawing  from 
them  some  inference  as  to  the  life  in  store  for 
her.  An  ample  supply  of  clothing  had  been 
placed  there,  by  whose  hand  she  could  not 
doubt.  She  knew  her  mother's  care  for  her 
comfort,  shown  at  every  moment  of  unpack 
ing.  Of  the  little  articles  for  the  toilet,  not  one 
was  missing.  There,  too,  were  her  slippers 
and  her  wrapper,  and  there  were  many  little 
keepsakes,  which  it  had  been  her  pleasure  to 
see  about  her  room  at  home.  There  was  her 
favorite  desk,  newly  furnished  with  a  store  of 
writing  materials,  and  there  she  found  a  new 
Bible  and  Prayer-book,  the  only  books  the 
trunk  contained. 

Belle  took  up  the  former,  and  opened  it. 
On  the  fly-leaf  was  quoted  the  beautiful  Col 
lect,  "Blessed  Lord,  who  hast  caused  all  Holy 
Scriptures  to  be  written  for  our  learning, 
grant  that  my  dear  child  may  in  such  wise 
hear  them,  read,  mark,  learn,  and  inwardly  di 
gest  them,  that,  by  patience  and  comfort  of  Thy 


••»•'•     ••*• 

34  BELLE;  OR, 

Holy  Word,  she  may  embrace  and  ever  hold 
fast  the  blessed  hope  of  everlasting  life  which 
Thou  hast  given  us  in  our  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ."  This  was  written  in  her  father's 
hand,  while  below  her  mother  had  tremblingly 
traced — "  The  Lord  bless  thee,  and  keep  thee, 
make  His  face  to  shine  upon  thee,  and  give 
thee  peace  for  ever  more." 

Belle  closed  the  book  with  tears  in  her 
eyes, — tears  of  tenderness  towards  the  mother 
from  whom  she  was  separated, — but  not  tears 
of  penitence  for  the  long-indulged  spirit  of  dis 
obedience,  which  had  brought  about  this  sepa 
ration. 

She  read  no  words  of  the  Holy  Book,  she 
poured  forth  no  real  prayer  before  she  laid 
her  head  on  the  pillow,  yet  she  slept  soundly, 
to  wake  in  health ;  for  the  Lord  is  long-suffer 
ing  and  of  tender  mercy,  and  for  her  an  earthly 
father  prayed,  and  a  loving  mother  lifted  up 
her  petitions  in  faith. 


THE  PROMISED  BLESSING.  35 

**•    r    '.•'.' 


CHAPTEE  IV. 

NEW     OCCUPATIONS. 

THE  winter  sun  was  high  in  the  heavens 
when  Belle  woke  from  the  long,  sound  sleep 
which  had  followed  the  fatigues  of  the  day 
before.  A  bright  fire  was  burning  on  the 
hearth,  and  a  note  addressed  to  her,  lay  on  the 
small,  round  table  beside  her  bed.  She  took  it 
eagerly,  and  broke  it  open.  She  did  not  need 
to  look  at  the  signature — "Your  devoted  fa 
ther" — to  know  by  whom  it  was  written.  It 
began,  "  My  dear  daughter :  When  your  eyes 
fall  on  this  page  I  shall  be  far  on  my  home 
ward  journey."  "  Gone  !  without  one  word  to 
me !"  said  Belle,  as  she  threw  the  note  angrily 
down.  "  That  is  too  bad  I" 

Very  different  would  have  been  her  words 
if  she  had  seen  the  face  of  tenderness  with 
which  that  father  had  bent  over  her  in  the 


36  BELLE;  OR, 

gray  dawn,  while  lie  invoked  blessings  on  his 
erring  child. 

Belle  was  fairly  dressed  before  she  again 
condescended  to  look  at  the  note  whose  open 
ing  sentence  had  so  excited  her  indignation. 

Strongly  and  clearly  Mr.  Cortlandt  had  ex 
pressed  his  sense  of  the  heinousness  of  the  sin 
that  his  daughter  had  so  frequently  commit 
ted,  that  she  was  quite  unconscious  of  the  ex 
tent  to  which  it  had  darkened  and  benumbed 
her  conscience.  Tenderly  and  compassionately 
he  addressed  her,  as  he  urged  her  to  begin  at 
once  a  new  and  better  life,  and  to  profit  to 
the  uttermost  by  the  trying  discipline  to  which 
he  felt  it  necessary  she  should  be  subjected. 

With  fervent  wishes  for  her  best  good  he 
closed  the  long  note,  which  he  had  written 
with  a  trembling  hand  and  a  beating  heart. 

Belle  felt  a  vague  sense  of  disgrace  at  being 
so  addressed  by  the  father  she  revered,  though 
she  had  as  yet  but  little  idea  of  the  real  hate- 
fulness  of  her  fault.  "  What  *  discipline '  does 
he  mean  ?"  she  questioned ;  but  imagination 
returned  only  the  wildest  answers.  Belle  re- 


THE  PROMISED  BLESSING.  37 

solved  to  meet  boldly  whatever  might  be  in 
store  for  her,  and  to  put  the  best  possible  face 
on  the  matter.  In  this  mood  she  went  down 
stairs,  and,  notwithstanding  her  resolution,  push 
ed  open,  somewhat  timidly,  the  first  door  to 
which  she  came. 

No  stern  judge,  no  place  of  punishment, 
was  revealed  to  her  view ;  not  even  Miss 
Hansy's  one  eye  looked  reproachfully  upon 
her.  She  stood  alone  in  a  small  dining-room, 
where  silence  would  have  reigned,  but  for  the 
noisy  singing  of  a  tea-kettle,  perched  on  the 
old-fashioned  ten-plate  stove.  The  breakfast- 
table  was  set  for  a  single  person,  and  the  sim 
ple  fare  was  all  ready,  excepting  the  fresh  eggs, 
which  stood  prepared  to  have  the  boiling  water 
poured  upon  them. 

Belle  sat  down  for  a  few  moments  in  silence, 
expecting  some  one  to  appear,  to  let  her  know 
if  these  preparations  had  been  made  for  her. 
No  one  came;  she  began  to  move  about  the 
room,  that  it  might  be  known  that  she  was 
stirring.  All  was  quiet  through  the  house,  no 
one  seemed  even  to  breathe  in  the  deep  still- 


38  BELLE;  OK, 

ness.  Belle  looked  out  at  tlie  side  window. 
The  long  brick  wing  (its  windows  shaded  by 
a  high  lattice,  for  a  grape  vine)  stretched  off 
to  the  right,  but  not  a  murmur  came  through 
its  closed  shutters,  though  the  thin  column  of 
smoke,  that  rose  from  one  of « its  chimneys,  gave 
signs  of  its  being  inhabited. 

After  waiting  in  doubtful  and  dreary  lone 
liness  for  what  seemed  an  hour,  at  least, 
Belle's  appetite  overcame  her  scruples.  She 
took  the  biscuit  from  their  warm  retreat 
in  the  open  oven,  and,  boiling  the  eggs  to 
her  taste,  made  the  tea  according  to  her  own 
notions,  and  sat  down  to  her  solitary  break 
fast. 

There  was  nothing  frightful  in  that  quiet 
room,  but  Belle  felt  the  silence  oppressive, 
and  would  have  been  glad  to  hear  even  a 
rat  busy  in  the  walls. 

Silent  and  solitary  as  was  that  morning 
meal,  it  was  not  more  so  than  were  the  wea 
ry  Hours  that  followed  it.  Belle  wandered 
about,  no  one  asking  her  whither  she  was 
going.  She  ventured  to  peep  into  the  small 


THE  PKOMISED  .BLESSING.  39 

parlor;  all  there  was  neat,  and  simple,  but 
the  room  was  cold  and  dark,  and  displayed 
no  indications  of  being  either  occupied  or 
visited.  Not  a  book  was  any  where  to  be 
seen,  not  a  picture  hung  upon  the  walls,  to 
indicate  the  taste  or  pursuits  of  the  inhabit 
ants,  if  inhabitants  there  were,  to  this  noise 
less  home.  Belle  almost  began  to  think  Miss 
Hansy,  with  her  one  eye,  and  stumbling  old 
Amos,  were  but  phantoms  of  her  disordered 
fancy. 

"What  do  I  generally  do  at  home?" 
thought  Belle  to  herself,  .as  she  mentally  re 
viewed  one  of  her  ordinary  days  and  its  oc 
cupations.  The  review  was  neither  very  sat 
isfactory,  nor  suggestive  of  expedients  for  her 
present  diversion.  Belle  had  been  much  in 
the  habit  of  idling  about,  watching  her 
mother's  busy  fingers,  or  chatting  with  "Wil 
ly.  Her  school-books  had  claimed  but  a 
small  share  of  her  attention,  for  she  was 
more  ambitious  of  being  a  favorite  among 
the  scholars,  than  of  winning  the  approba 
tion  of  the  teacher. 


40  BELLE;  OB, 

The  unconscious  idleness,  which  had  been 
so  agreeable  when  in  pleasant  company, 
Belle  soon  found  burdensome,  with  no  other 
resource  than  her  own  thoughts,  which  were 
by  no  means  pleasing,  when  allowed  to  fol 
low  their  own  bent. 

The  stumbling  step  of  the  old  man  was 
a  welcome  sound  to  Belle  when  the  morn 
ing  had  almost  worn  away,  and  she  was 
glad  to  hear  his  voice,  though  it  was  nei 
ther  refined,  nor  melodious. 

"Miss,"  said  he,  "she  says  you  may  see 
to  your  room,  and  you'll  find  the  bureau 
drawers  empty  for  you.  She  says  you'll 
find  things  ready  for  you  to  clear  up  in 
there,  too,"  and  he  pointed  to  the  dining 
room. 

Belle  mechanically  went  up-stairs  to  "see 
to  her  room,"  and  she  found  it  looking  truly 
as  if  it  needed  some  attention.  The  bed 
was  unmade,  the  contents  of  the  trunk  were 
scattered  in  all  directions,  and,  indeed,  every 
article  in  the  room  seemed  in  the  wrong 
place,  save  the  heavy  dressing  bureau,  which 


THE  PKOMISED  BLESSING.  4 

stood  a  monument  of   stability  in  the  midst 
of  the  confusion. 

Mrs.  Cortlandt  was  one  of  those  busy,  un 
selfish  persons  who  promote  just  the  opposite, 
qualities  in  those  by  whom  they  are  sur 
rounded. 

The  indulgent  mother  had  met  Belle's 
heedlessness  by  her  own  care,  and  .had  ever 
ready  for  her,  the  apology,  "  girls  at '  school 
cannot  be  expected  to  have  much  time  to 
spare  for  home  duties." 

Belle  felt  a  sense  of  discomfort  and  half- 
despair  as  she  looked  at  the  scene  of  dis 
order  before  her.  It  was  not  the  first  time 
that  she  had  left  such  a  room  in  the  morn 
ing  ;  but  that  was  quite  a  different  thing 
from  returning  to  it  in  the  clear  light  of 
the  noon-day  sun.  No  thoughtful  mother 
had  now  brought  chaos  back  to  order,  no 
neat  chamber-maid  had  laid  the  bed  as  with 
line  and  plummet,  and  put  aside  the  in 
congruous  articles  that  clustered  about  the 
looking-glass. 

Hopeless    as    seemed    the    task,    Belle  was 


42  BELLE;  OR, 

really  glad  to  have  something  to  do,  and 
she  set  to  work,  in  her  own  way,  to  pro 
duce  a  change.  The  bureau-drawers  were 
.soon  filled  with  a  variety  of  articles  jumbled 
together,  without  regard  to  any  of  the  ordin 
ary  rules  of  classification,  and  the  remaining 
garments  were  promiscuously  thrust  into  the 
trunk.  This  was  the  result  of  but  a  few 
moments  of  active  exertion,  and  then  Belle 
looked  around  her  with  no  little  satisfac 
tion. 

The  bed  was  next  attacked,  and  Belle 
found  it  quite  a  relief  to  her  feelings  to  box 
and  shake  unmercifully  the  huge  mass  of 
feathers,  with  which  custom,  in  those  days, 
made  it  necessary  to  fill  the  "spare-room 
bed."  When  this  branch  of  her  new  occu 
pation  was  completed,  it  must  be  confessed 
that  the  surface  of  the  bed,  was  (as  the 
geographers  say)  "gently  undulating,"  but 
that  was  a  small  matter  so  the  thing  was 
done.  Quite  in  a  glow  with  her  recent  ex 
ercise,  Belle  descended  to  the  dining-room. 
The  neat  little  tub  with  its  mop  and  towels 


THE  PKOMISED  BLESSING.  43 

near,  which  she  had  before  observed  on  the 
side-table,  seemed  now  to  speak  directly  to 
her,  and  she  forthwith  made  the  still-sing 
ing  kettle  provide  the  hot  water  for  her 
new  duties. 

Belle  was  just  congratulating  herself  on 
her  success  when,  by  some  awkward  chance, 
she  dropped  the  small,  old-fashioned  tea-cup, 
and  in  a  moment  it  was  dashed  to  pieces. 

At  this  instant  Miss  Hansy  came  in  at  a 
side  door. 

Belle's  confusion  was  extreme. 

"  Thee  need  not  trouble  thyself  about  that, 
child,"  said  a  clear,  low  voice;  "there  is  no 
sin  in  such  an  accident." 

"I  know  I  am  very  careless,"  said  Belle 
ingenuously,  as  she  looked  directly  into  Miss 
Hansy's  single  eye. 

"Then  thee  will  try  to  mend.  If  thee 
knows  thy  faults,  thee  will  not  stop  there,  I 
hope.  I  am  sorry  thee  must  be  left  so 
much  to  thyself,  and  will  have  to  do  so 
many  things  that  are  strange  to  thy  hands. 
I  can  but  give  thee  the  home  thy  father 


44  BELLE;  OR, 

wishes,  for  the  sake  of  old  times,  and  thee 
must  make  the  best  of  it." 

Belle  looked  inquiringly  into  Miss  Hansy's 
face,  for  she  longed  to  know  whether  her 
father,  in  placing  her  with  Miss  Hansy,  had 
explained  the  cause  and  manner  of  her  leav 
ing  home  ;  but  in  the  calm  eye,  and  quiet 
face,  there  was  no  answer  to  be  read. 

Even  while  she  had  been  speaking,  Miss 
Hansy  had  been  placing  'the  simple  tea  equip 
age  in  the  small  corner-cupboard,  and  now 
nearly  all  traces  of  it  had  disappeared,  and 
the  remaining  articles  on  the  tray  were  put 
through  a  slide  in  the  wall,  and  then  all 
was  in  order. 

Belle  was  making  up  her  mind  to  say 
something,  she  hardly  knew  what,  when  Miss 
Hansy  again  disappeared,  and  the  young 
stranger  was  once  more  alone. 

The  small  dining-room  seemed  dreary,  and 
Belle  betook  herself  to  her  quiet  bed-room, 
with  a  sad  feeling,  that  that  was  already 
her  home. 

Miss   Hansy's  peculiar   use  of  "thee"  was 


THE  PROMISED  BLESSING.  45 

new  to  Belle,  and  not  at  all  in  accordance 
with  her  preconceived  ideas  of  the  way  of 
speaking  the  "  plain  language,"  but  she  did 
not  feel  at  all  inclined  to  find  fault  with  any 
thing  about  her  new  acquaintance.  If  Miss 
Hansy  had  had  two  eyes,  Belle  might  have 
looked  upon  her  in  an  unfriendly  light,  as 
her  jailer  in  this  strange  abode;  but  Belle  had 
one  of  those  natures  that  are  softened  and  dis 
armed  by  a  personal  misfortune,  and  the  ap 
pearance  of  that  sad,  closed  lid  went  right 
to  her  heart. 

Strange  as  it  may  seem,  Belle  was  really 
affectionate  and  warm-hearted,  and  deeply  at 
tached  to  her  friends.  The  wild  feeling  of 
insubordination  and  opposition  to  her  mother 
which  had  of  late  been  so  painfully  prominent, 
was  rather  a  bad  habit,  carelessly  indulged, 
than  a  deep-seated  determination  to  pain  and 
try  that  affectionate  parent. 

Once  more  in  her  own  room,  Belle,  from 
very  listlessness,  took  up  her  Prayer-book,  and 
began  to  look  over  the  various  services,  some 
of  which  she  had  never  read.  This  she  found 


46  BELLE;  OB, 

a  dull  business,  and  she  was  glad  when  the 
sound  of  a  small  bell  gave  promise  of  the 
dinner  hour's  having  arrived. 

The  lunch  of  cold  ham  and  bread  was  not 
very  attractive,  but  she  lingered  over  it  as 
long  as  possible,  and  then  put  together  the 
dishes,  and  ventured  herself  to  thrust  them 
through  the  slide,  into  the  large  pantry,  to 
which  it  formed  a  communication. 

That  weary  day  was  over  at  last,  and  Belle 
lay  down  to  sleep  more  sad  and  subdued  than 
she  had  ever  been  in  her  life. 

How  cheerful  seemed,  in  remembrance,  the 
fireside  at  home !  How  lovely  looked  her 
mother's  face !  How  welcome  even  Willy's 
teasing,  rather  than  'the  dreary  monotony,  the 
unvaried  loneliness  of  the  day  she  had  passed ! 

"  I  wonder  if  they  have  missed  me  ?"  she 
thought ;  and  she  vainly  tried  to  remember 
some  office  of  kindness,  unperformed,  by  which 
her  mother  would  be  reminded  of  her  absence; 
some  pleasure  that  would  seem  less  to  Willy 
by  not  sharing  it  with  her. 
.  The  conviction  was  painfully  forced  upon 


THE  PROMISED  BLESSING-.  47 

her,  that  her  face  might  be  missed  at  the  fire 
side,  but  that  no  kindly  actions  of  late,  no 
efforts  for  others  had  made  her  place  at  home 
one  that  could  not  well  be  left  vacant. 

Alas !  for  those  who  by  idleness  and  self- 
indulgence  cut  themselves  off  from  the  sweet 
household  sympathies  of  those  who  "bear  one 
another's  burdens,"  and  "rejoice  with  them 
that  rejoice  I" 

"I  wonder  how  long  I  am  to  stay  in  this 
dreary  place?"  thought  Belle,  as  she  laid  her 
head  on  her  pillow.  "Life  would  be  a  bur 
den  here.  I  wish  I  could  be  sick  all  by  myself, 
and  then  how  sorry  father  would  feel  to  think 
he  left  me  here  alone!"  she*  said  aloud. 

"  And  how  would  thee  feel  if  that  sickness 
should  be  unto  death?"  said  a  voice  in  the 
room,  as  Miss  Hansy  entered. 

Belle  could  not  reply,  and  Miss  Hansy  con 
tinued:  "I  came  to  bid  thee  good-night,  and 
did  not  willingly  hear  thy  wild  wish.  Grod 
help  thee,  child,  to  come  to  a  better  mind ! 
Thou  art  never  alone ;  perhaps  in  this  quiet 
home  thou  mayest  learn  to  enjoy  His  presence 


48  BELLE;  OR, 

who  is  about  thy  bed  ;  who  knoweth  thy  lying 
down  and  thy  rising  up,  and  is  acquainted 
with  all  thy  ways." 

So  saying,  Miss  Hansy  concluded,  and  to 
Belle's  astonishment,  she  stooped  down  and 
kissed  the  flushed  cheek  of  the  young  girl, 
and  then  left  the  room. 

"  About  my  bed,  and  knoweth  all  my  ways," 
thought  Belle.  Rather  would  she  have  had 
the  oppressive  loneliness  of  the  day,  than  the 
strange  sense  of  a  spiritual  presence  that  had 
been  thus  suddenly  forced  upon  her  by  Miss 
Hansy's  earnest  words. 

The  truth  that  Grod  is  every  where,  she  had 
been  taught  from  her  childhood ;  but  now,  for 
the  first  time,  she  really  believed  it,  and  the 
strange  awe  that  accompanied  that  belief  long 
banished  sleep  from  her  eyes,  but  at  last  na 
ture  triumphed,  and  she  was  lost  in  dreams. 


THE  PROMISED  BLESSING.  49 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE      WING. 

THE  new  sense  of  spiritual  things,  that  had 
come  over  Belle  in  the  darkness  of  night,  van 
ished  with  the  return  of  day.  In  the  clear 
light,  which  brought  every  material  object  about 
her  so  plainly  before  her  eyes,  she  no  longer 
realized  the  invisible  presence  which  had  so 
oppressed  her  the  evening  before. 

Another  day  of  loneliness,  only  cheered  by 
occasional  glimpses  of  Miss  Hansy,  passed 
slowly  away.  Home-sickness,  in  all  its  strength, 
came  over  the  solitary  girl,  and  she  sat  down 
and  cried  heartily,  in  bitterness  of  spirit.  Once 
she  took  out  her  writing  materials  to  commence 
a  letter,  imploring  to  be  allowed  to  return,  and 
promising  perfect  and  cheerful  obedience,  but 
her  pride  revolted  at  such  a  submission  to  au 
thority,  and  she  half-reluctantly  threw  aside 


• 

50  BELLE;  OB, 

the  sheet  she  had  taken  up.  Her  heart  yearned 
towards  her  mother,  and  she  felt  sure  if  she 
could  only  see  that  sweet  face,  she  could 
easily  beg  forgiveness  for  her  fault,  but  she 
could  not  write  down  her  acknowledgment, — 
actually  put  it  on  paper, — where  Willy  might 
see  it,  or  any  casual  eye  might  fall  upon  it. 
This  idea  given  up,  Belle  resolved  to  try 
her  needle  as  a  comforter.  She  had  never 
been  fond  of  any  kind  of  plain  sewing,  and 
the  various  bits  of  fancy  work  she  had  com 
menced  had  not  been  placed  in  her  trunk. 
She  took  up  one  of  the  pocket-handkerchiefs  to 
hem,  which  she  found  with  her  working  materi 
als,  and  sat  down,  after  her  solitary  tea,  to  pass 
her  evening  in  sewing.  After  sitting  at  the 
round  table  for  a  time  quite  industriously,  she 
fancied  that  it  would  seem  more  home-like  and 
cosy  if  the  shutters  were  closed,  and  the  clear 
moonlight  excluded.  She  rose  suddenly  to 
carry  out  this  idea,  and  in  doing  so,  she  knock 
ed  her  thimble  from  her  finger,  and  saw  it  roll 
slowly  down  the  gentle  slope  of  the  roof  of 
the  porch,  and  lodge  in  the  leaden  trough. 


THE  PROMISED  BLESSING.  51 

This  thimble  was  a  special  favorite  with  Belle, 
being  a  gold  one,  and,  moreover,  a  late  birth 
day  gift  from  her  mother.  The  thought  of 
losing  it  was  not  for  a  moment  to  be  tolerated, 
and  Belle  did  not  hesitate  to  step  upon  the 
roof,  and  move  slowly  towards  the  spot  where 
it  was  lying.  She  had  nearly  reached  it,  when 
her  attention  was  attracted  by  a  stream  of 
light,  that  poured  from  a  window  in  the  wing, 
towards  which  she  had  looked  so  wonderingly, 
and  in  which  Miss  Hansy  seemed  to  spend 
her  time. 

From  her  elevated  position  Belle  could  see 
distinctly  into  the  room,  whence  the  light 
came,  and  the  scene  that  caught  her  eye  ar 
rested  her  attention  and  chained  her  to  the 
spot  where  she  stood. 

Seated  in  a  huge  arm-chair  was  an  old 
man,  apparently  past  sixty  years  of  age.  His 
powerfully-moulded  features  had  a  harsh  and 
disagreeable  expression,  while  round  his  half- 
open  mouth,  there  was  a  look  of  childish 
imbecility.  One  of  his  legs  was  stretched 
out  upon  a  chair,  and  was  closely  bandaged. 


52  BELLE;  OR, 

These  bandages  Miss  Hansy  was  endeavor 
ing  to  arrange,  while  Amos  stood  by,  with 
his  hat,  as  usual,  on  his  head.  Miss  Han 
sy  was  kneeling,  and  there  was  tenderness 
and  gentle  care  in  the  very  expression  of 
her  figure,  as  she  went  on  with  her  task. 

Even  her  skilful  fingers  seemed  to  be  un 
able  to  perform  this  task  to  the  satisfaction 
of  the  sufferer.  He  suddenly  gave  an  im 
patient  jerk,  and  raising  his  arm  hastily, 
strove  to  deal  a  blow  at  his  nurse.  Miss 
Hansy  saw  his  intention,  and  quietly  moved 
aside,  while  the  raised  arm  dropped  power- 
lessly.  The  expression  that  came  over  the 
face  of  the  sick  man,  at  this  failure,  was  so 
full  of  helpless  rage,  that  Belle  turned  hor 
ror-stricken  from  the  sight,  but  not  too  soon 
to  catch  a  glimpse  of  Miss  Hansy's  calm,  com 
passionate  look,  as  she  met  that  angry  glance. 

Belle  had  well-nigh  forgotten  her  danger 
ous  position  in  her  eagerness  to  escape  from 
witnessing  any  more  of  the  secret  proceed 
ings  in  the  wing. 

She  started,  as  she  found  herself  stumbling 


THE  PROMISED  BLESSING.  53 

on  the  very  verge  of  the  roof,  and  remem 
bered  at  once  the  object  that  had  brought 
her  into  the  cool  night  air.  Shivering  with 
cold  and  agitation,  she  secured  her  thim 
ble  and  crept  back  to  her  room,  with  new 
food  for  thought. 

She  was  no  longer  in  the  mood  for  sew 
ing  quietly.  After  wondering  long  over  the 
scene  she  had  witnessed,  she  betook  herself 
to  bed. 

Belle  had  not  closed  her  eyes  when  Miss 
Hansy  entered,  in  her  usual  quiet  way,  to 
say  good-night.  Belle  looked  at  her,  to  see 
if  there  were  no  traces  of  recent  excitement 
on  her  face,  but  all  was  serene  and  calm, 
and  her  one  eye  looked  forth  as  kindly  as 
ever. 

Miss  Hansy  was  not  a  little  surprised  at 
the  glance  of  affectionate  interest  which  Belle 
bestowed  on  her,  but  being  a  woman  of  few 
words,  she  asked  no  questions.  "I  am  glad 
to  see  thee  has  been  sewing ;  the  needle  is 

a  great  blessing;   but  thee  looks  tired,  and  I 
5* 


54  BELLE;  OR, 

must  bid  thee  good-night,"  said  Miss  Hansy, 
turning  away. 

"  Grood-night,  dear  Miss  Hansy,"  said  Belle, 
with  involuntary  warmth. 

"  Good-night,  child  ;"  was  again  repeated, 
and  again  the  unexpected  kiss,  went  to  Belle's 
heart 


THE  PROMISED  BLESSING.  55 


CHAPTER  VI. 

•>^1  -  4r.'v-:/     ^••^          «"-.i:         iL;  "./'rs   .  lvj:-':-|    ->i-;  ;j  "Ju  J-^'./. :'. 
POOR      NANNY. 

A  LONELY  week  had  passed  away,  and  a 
stormy  Sunday,  spent  at  home  in  lounging 
and  idle  dreaming,  had  made  Belle  more 
dissatisfied  than  ever  with  her  present  life. 

It  was  a  bright  morning  in  February. 
Winter  seemed  to  have  suddenly  melted  into 
spring,  quite  to  the  surprise  of  the  dull, 
brown  earth  and  leafless  trees. 

Belle  was  cheered  by  the  pleasant  change, 
and,  for  the  first  time  since  her  arrival,  she 
felt  inclined  to  try  the  fresh  air. 

As  she  walked  down  the  wide  pavement, 
she  half-expected  to  hear  a  voice  calling  af 
ter  her,  and  to  learn  that  she  was  to  be 
kept  a  close  prisoner  in  her  new  home. 
She  hoped  Miss  Hansy  would  see  her,  and 
know,  at  least,  that  she  went  out  boldly, 


56  BELLE;  OB, 

with  no  attempt  at  concealment.  But  no 
one  observed  her,  or  if  so,  thought  her  move 
ments  worthy  of  attention. 

Along  the  hard,  brown  road  Belle  walked 
rapidly,  feeling  fresh  exhilaration  at  every 
step  in  the  pure  sweet  air.  She  had  not 
wished  to  tread  again  the  same  lane  over 
which  she  had  passed  with  her  father,  and 
had,  therefore,  started  off  in  an  opposite  di 
rection.  Every  thing  was  new  to  her,  and 
each  object  had  for  her  its  interest.  She 
had  wandered  nearly  a  mile  from  her  pres 
ent  abode,  when  she  overtook  a  little  boy 
walking  slowly  along,  laden  with  a  heavy 
basket. 

As  Belle  passed  him,  at  a  rapid  pace,  he 
looked  up  at  her  with  a  pleasant  glance 
that  arrested  her  attention. 

"  Let  me  help  you,"  said  she,  involuntari 
ly.  "  That  basket  seems  heavy  for  you." 

"The  basket  isn't  much,  if  it  wasn't  for 
what's  in  it,"  said  the  little  boy  laughing. 
11  There's  two  pies,  a  big  loaf  of  bread,  and 
a  heap  of  apples  and  potatoes ;  and  they 


THE  PROMISED  BLESSING.  57 

have  a  right  to  weigh  powerful  hard,  as 
they  do." 

"Why,  you  are  quite  a  market  man!"  said 
Belle.  "  It  can't  be  you  are  taking  all  that  to 
school  for  your  dinner?" 

"No,  indeed,"  said  the  boy,  laughing;  "hun 
grier  mouths  than  mine  will  eat  it  all  up  soon. 
Do  you  see  that  little  brown  house  yonder? 
That's  where  I'm  going.  Don't  trouble  your 
self,  miss;  I  can  carry  it  just  that  little  piece 
farther." 

Belle  had  taken  hold  of  the  basket,  and  she 
did  not  give  it  up  ;  for  though  her  young  com 
panion  seemed  quite  uneasy  at  the  effort  she 
was  making,  it  was  very  evident  that  he  was 
weary  with  his  heavy  load. 

"Mother  said  I'd  be  tired,  but  I  wanted  to 
carry  it  all  myself,  so  that  would  be  my  way 
of  helping,"  said  the  boy,  "  and  I  aint  sorry  a 
bit  that  I  tried." 

"  Your  way  of  helping  ?"  said  Belle,  inquir 
ingly. 

"  Yes,"  answered  the  boy.  "  Mother  says, 
children  have  nothing  to  give  away  but  just 


58  BELLE;    OR, 

their  own  strength,  and  you  know  we  all  ought 
to  do  something  for  the  poor." 

Belle  felt  a  pang  of  conscience,  as  she 
thought  how  little  she  had  ever  acted  on  this 
principle ;  but  she  only  said,  "  so  it  is  a  poor 
person  that  all  these  nice  things  are  for?" 

"Why,  of  course!"  said  the  boy,  with  a 
look  of  surprise.  "  And  if  you  just  stop  with 
me,  you'll  see  the  family  need  it  enough." 

They  were  now  at  the  small  gate  leading 
to  the  brown  cottage,  to  which  the  boy  had 
pointed.  Belle  kept  hold  of  the  basket,  and 
went  determinately  on. 

At  the  door  the  boy  gave  a  decided  knock 
with  his  knuckles,  and  almost  immediately  the 
upper  half  of  it  was  opened,  and  over  the 
remaining  half  looked  out  the  thin,  pale  face 
of  a  little  girl  about  six  years  old.  "May  we 
come  in,  Jany?"  asked  the  boy  in  his  cheer 
ful,  pleasant  way. 

"  You  may,  for  certain,"  said  the  child,  her 
face  brightening  as  she  spoke,  and  then  she 
•turned  a  doubtful  glance  towards  Belle. 

"Oh,  she's  a  nice  young  lady,  that  helped 
• 


THE   PKOMISED   BLESSING.  59 

me  along  the  road  with  my  basket  here.  You 
needn't  mind  her,  I'm  sure,"  said  the  boy. 
The  lower  half  door  was  thrown  open,  and 
the  two  put  down  the  heavy  basket  on  the 
floor  of  the  small  room,  into  which  they  were 
ushered. 

A  young  woman,  not  more  than  twenty- 
three  years  of  age,  sat,  bolstered  up  in  a  stiff 
old-fashioned  chair,  in  front  of  the  fire-place 
where  a  few  bits  of  brush  and  chips  were 
half-smoking,  half-blazing  on  the  hearth. 

In  her  arms  she  held  a  young  infant,  that 
looked  even  more  thin  and  pallid  than  the 
scantily-clothed  mother.  A  child,  about  three 
years  of  age,  was  amusing  himself  with .  stir 
ring  lustily  the  ashes  in  the  chimney-corner, 
with  a  bunch  of  brush. 

"Why,  Master  Johnny,  are  you  here  again 
so  soon?  Your  mother  don't  forget  us,"  said 
the  woman  in  a  feeble  voice. 

"She  never  forgets  anybody  but  her  own 
self,"  said  the  boy  warmly.  "  She  said  she 
could'nt  sleep  last  night  for  thinking  of  you. 
She  put  in  the  basket  any  thing  that  came 


60 

handy,  and  she  says  she'll  be  down  herself 
this  afternoon  to  see  how  you  are  getting 
on."  So  saying,  the  little  boy  began  to  un 
pack  the  stores  in  his  basket,  to  the  wondering 
delight  of  Jany  and  the  younger  child,  who 
both  willingly  lent  a  hand  in  the  pleasant 
work. 

Belle,  meanwhile,  had  stood  a  confused  and 
astonished  spectator  of  the  scene  before  her. 
Her  real  kindliness  now  prevailed  over  her 
embarrassment,  and  she  stepped  forward,  say 
ing: 

"  You  look  weak,  ma'am  ;  do  you  think  you 
are  quite  able  to  sit  up?" 

"Oh  yes,  miss!"  said  the  woman,  with  a 
languid  smile ;  "I  hope  soon  to  be  able  to 
work,  if  I  can  get  any  thing  to  do." 

"What  kind  of  work  can  you  do?"  said 
Belle,  with  a  vague  idea  of  rendering  assistance. 

"Well,"  said  the  woman,  a  faint  blush 
tinging  her  pale  cheek,  "I  was  used  to  farm- 
work  once,  and  I  can  sew  pretty  well. 
Perhaps  you  could  help  me  to  get  work, 
miss?" 


THE   PROMISED   BLESSING.  61 

"I  wish  I  could,  with  all  my  heart,"  said 
Belle,  warmly;  "but  I  am  away  from  home, 
and  don't  know  many  people  about  here." 
The  tears  filled  Belle's  eyes  as  a  sense  of 
her  own  lonely  condition,  her  empty  purse, 
and  her  helplessness  came  over  her. 

"  Don't  trouble  yourself,  miss,"  said  the 
woman,  noticing  her  expression.  "  That  little 
boy's  mother  made  acquaintance  here  yester 
day,  and  she  seems  like  a  real  old  friend, 
and  I'm  sure  I've  had  more  kindness  than 
I  deserve  since  he  went  away." 

"  Where  has  he  gone  ?"  said  Belle,  with 
some  curiosity. 

"  It  ain't  no  wonder,"  said  the  woman, 
avoiding  a  direct  answer.  "  He  never  meant 
no  harm — but  my  being  sick,  and  the  chil 
dren  wantin'  every  thing,  and  the  taste  of  the 
bottle ;  it  just  made  him  wild,  and  he 
couldn't  stand  it  here — poor  fellow !  It  was 
all  my  fault,  our  marrying  at  all ;  but  I 
never  thought  it  would  come  to  this  I"  and 
the  poor  woman  sobbed  violently. 

"  Don't  I  don't  cry  !"  said  Belle,  tenderly. 
6 


62  BELLE;  OB, 

"  Perhaps  lie  will  come  back,  when  you  don't 
expect  him." 

"  No !  no !"  said  the  woman,  still  sobbing, 
"  he's  over  the  seas,  by  tbis  time.  He  was 
a'most  wild  with  wantin'  work,  and  wantin' 
every  thing,  and  being  ashamed  anybody 
should  know  how  poor  off  we  was,  and  then 
the  bottle,  and  all.  Poor  fellow !  he  couldn't 
stand  it.  It's  just  what  I  deserve.  Them 
that  goes  against  their  own  mothers  never 
comes  to  good,  I've  heard  say,  and  now,  I 
knows  it's  true.  I  can  hear  her  now,  just 
as  if  it  was  yesterday.  'Jane,'  says  she, 
'Jane,  he's  a  good  enough  boy,  Jack  Bar 
ker  is,  but  you  are  too  young,  child.  Let 
him  go  out  to  Ameriky  first,  and  get  a 
start,  and  then  he'll  come  back  for  you, 
and  that'll  be  better  for  all.'  I  was  wild 
and  foolish,  and  would  have  my  own  way 
against  them  that  cared  the  most  for  me.  I 
left  my  mother  and  my  old  father,  without  a 
word  of  good-bye,  and  ran  off  with  Jack 
Barker — bad  luck  to  him  to  have  such  a 
/wild,  young  thriftless  wife!  "We  never  pros- 


THE  PROMISED  BLESSING.  63 

pered,  and  why  should  we?  Them  that 
goes  against  their  own  mothers  never  comes 
to  good.  It  was  all  my  fault,  and  poor 
Jack  couldn't  stand  it." 

The  woman's  words  had  sunk  into  Belle's 
heart.  Was  not  she  herself  "  one  to  whom 
no  good  could  come?"  as  the  woman  had 
simply  expressed  it. 

"  I  deserve  it  all,  miss,"  said  the  woman 
with  a  rneek  look.  . "  I  see  now,  how  wrong 
I  was,  and  if  I  could  only  ask  her  to  for 
give  me,  I  shouldn't  mind  this  growin'  thin 
day  after  day,  and  a'most  coughin'  my  life 
away.  I  know  the  children  will  be  cared 
for;  they  have  a  better  friend  than  I  have, 
up  there.  If  I  could  only  see  her  once  more, 
and  beg  her  pardon  on  my  knees.  Some 
how,  it  seems  to  me  the  gate  of  Heaven 
can't  open,  even  for  Jesus'  sake,  to  them  as 
turns  against  their  own  flesh  and  blood. 
Didn't  He  mind  His  mother  when  He  knew 
more  than  all  the  world  ?  Didn't  He  lean 
down  from  that  cruel  cross,  to  care  after 
His  mother  ?  What  will  He  say  to  me,  that 


64  BELLE;  OR, 

never  had  her  blessing  since  that  evil  night 
that  I  stole  away  from  my  home?" 

Belle  was  much  overcome,  and  full  of 
pity  for  the  pale,  agitated  sufferer ;  but  no 
words  of  comfort  came  to  her  lips. 

"Don't  cry,"  said  the  little  boy,  who  had 
been  an  eager,  but  unnoticed  listener  to 
what  had  passed.  "  Don't  cry.  I  know  the 
Lord  Jesus,  and  He  is  never  hard  with 
anybody.  Didn't  He  take  Peter  back,  when 
he  swore  he  didn't  know  Him  ?  Didn't  He 
pray  for  the  wicked  men  that  drove  the 
nails  through  His  hands  and  feet,  and  then 
stood  round  to  see  Him  die  ?  The  Lord 
Jesus  won't  let  any  thing  be  laid  up  against 
you,  if  your  name  is  written  in  His  big 
book.  I  know  that's  true,  for  I  have  heard 
mother  say  so,  and  she  can  read  and  ex 
plain  the  good  book,  a'most  the  same  as  a 
minister.  There,  don't  cry;"  and  the  little 
fellow  put  up  his  tiny  pocket-handkerchief 
to  wipe  away  the  tears  that  coursed  down 
the  thin,  pale  cheek. 

"Bless  you,  child,  for  your  sweet  words," 


THE  PROMISED  BLESSING.  65 

said  the  woman,  kissing  the  earnest  face  turned 
up  towards  her.  "  It  seems  to  me  they  must 
be  true,  they  do  me  so  much  good  here,  where 
it  aches  so,"  and  she  put  her  hand  to  her  side. 

"Now  do  look  bright  once  before  I  go," 
said  the  little  boy,  "for  I  can't  stay ;  I  have 
to  get  off  to  school,  but  I'll  come  just  as  often 
as  I  can,  and  mother '11  be  here  this  after 
noon,  and  I  am  sure  she  can  comfort  you." 

Only  half  satisfied  with  the  faint  smile  that 
the  poor  woman  conjured  up,  the  boy  took  his 
basket  and  prepared  to  take  leave. 

u  Good-bye,"  said  Belle,  putting  out  her  hand 
towards  the  sick  woman,  " good-bye;  I  wish  I 
could  say  something  to  cheer  you,  but  I  am  a 
poor,  wicked  girl  myself,  and  I  don't  know 
how  to  teach  anybody  else  what  is  right,  but 
I  will  come  and  see  you  again,  if  you  will  let 
me." 

Belle's  unaffected  interest  and  her  frank, 
kindly  manner  had  made  a  strong  impression, 
and  the  poor  woman  promptly  answered,  "  Oh 
yes,  do  come,  I  shall  be  so  glad  to  see  you 

again." 
6* 


66  BELLE;  OR, 

When  Belle  and  her  little  companion  were 
once  more  on  the  road,  he  looked  at  her  some 
what  shyly,  and  seemed  inclined  to  leave  a 
wide  space  between  them,  as  he  walked  silent 
ly  along.  At  length  he  burst  forth  as  fol 
lows  : — 

"I  thought  you  were  a  sweet,  kind  young 
lady,  but  you  said  you  were  { wicked ;'  have 
you  done  any  dreadful  thing  ?  Don't  you  love 
the  Lord  Jesus?" 

These  were  hard  questions  for  Belle  to  an 
swer,  and  she  would  gladly  have  passed  them 
by,  but  the  face  of  the  anxious  questioner  was 
turned  towards  her,  and  involuntarily  he  had 
stepped  to  her  side,  and  laid  hold  of  her  dress. 

"I  never  killed  anybody,"  she  said,  trying 
to  smile.  "You  need  not  be  afraid  of  me." 

"  I  am  not  afraid  of  any  thing  but  sin. 
Mother  says,  that  is  all  we  need  be  afraid  of," 
said  the  little  fellow,  drawing  himself  to  his 
full  height.  "But  I  thought  you  were  a  sweet 
young  lady,  and  now  you  don't  say  you  love 
the  Lord  Jesus,  and  I  can't  help  feeling  badly 
about  it."  So  saying,  Master  Johnny  slipped 


THE  PKOMISED  BLESSING.  67 

quickly  across  the  road,  and  kept  sedulously 
along  on  the  opposite  side  from  Belle,  now  and 
then  casting  at  her  a  wondering,  pitying  look. 

"  Here  is  where  I  turn  to  go  home,  Johnny," 
said  Belle,  who  was  half-amused,  half-pained 
by  his  behavior.  "Here  we  part;  will  you  not 
shake  hands  with  me?" 

Somewhat  slowly,  Johnny  put  out  his  hand, 
and  then,  as  if  doubtful  whether  he  had  done 
a  good  thing,  he  drew  it  soon  away,  and  scam 
pered  off  as  fast  as  his  feet  could  carry  him, 
while  Belle  pursued  her  solitary  walk,  lost  in 
new  and  solemn  reflections. 


68  BELLE;  OR, 


CHAPTER  VII. 

A     MOTHERLY     HEART. 

BELLE  had  been  much,  moved  by  her  first 
sight  of  real,  uncomplaining  poverty.  The 
thin  calico  dress  of  the  young  woman,  and  the 
small,  worn  shawl  drawn  so  closely  across  her 
sunken  chest,  lingered  in  Belle's  memory  with 
painful  distinctness.  She  mentally  reviewed 
her  own  wardrobe,  with  a  vague  desire  to  part 
with  some  of  its  abundance  for  the  poor  suf 
ferer;  but  each  article  seemed  most  inappro 
priate  for  that  humble  home,  and  were  it  not 
so,  she  felt  a  doubt  as  to  her  right  to  give  away 
clothing  prepared  expressly  by  her  mother  for 
her  own  use.  Full  of  these  thoughts,  Belle 
walked  up  the  wide,  straight  pavement  of  her 
new  home,  without  once  noticing  that  Miss 
Hansy  was  waiting  at  the  door  to  receive  her. 

"Oh,  Miss  Hansy  I"   she  exclaimed,  as  she. 


THE  PROMISED  BLESSING.  69 

caught  the  first  glimpse  of  the  sweet,  calm  face 
of  her  hostess,  just  as  she  was  stumbling  over 
her ;  "  Oh,  Miss  Hansy !  I  have  seen  such  a 
poor,  unfortunate  woman!"  and  then  followed 
a  description  of  the  family  in  the  little  brown 
house,  that  moved  Miss  Hansy  almost  to  tears. 

Belle  forbore  to  allude  to  the  woman's  self- 
reproach  for  the  act  of  disobedience  which 
had  separated  her  from  her  mother.  On  that 
theme  she  felt  disinclined  to  touch ;  but  on 
the  physical  distress  she  had  witnessed  she 
dwelt  with  the  eloquence  of  real,  hearty  in 
terest. 

"  I  wonder  I  have  not  heard  of  their  being 
in  the  neighborhood,"  said  Miss  Hansy  ;  "  some 
thing  must  be  done  immediately  for  the  poor 
things." 

"  They  have  only  been  here  a  few  days," 
said  Belle.  "  The  little  boy  I  spoke  of  went 
to  see  them  with  his  mother  for  the  first 
time,  yesterday  afternoon." 

"Would  thee  mind  going  there  again?" 
asked  Miss  Hansy  doubtfully — adding,  "I 
cannot  well  leave  home." 


TO  BELLE;  OR, 

"Mind  it!  That  is  just  what  I  want," 
said  Belle;  "but  my  clothes  are  not  fit  to 
take  to  the  woman,  and  she  does  so  need 
something" — and  Belle  paused  and  hesita 
ted. 

"I  have  some  red  flannel  just  fit  to  make 
her  a  wrapper,"  said  Miss  Hansy.  "  If  thee 
can  help  me,  I  think  we  could  finish  it  to 
day." 

"  I  should  so  like  it,"  said  Belle,  with  more 
real  pleasure  than  she  had  felt  since  she  had 
been  an  exile  from  her  father's  house. 

Belle  was  not  lonely  that  day ;  very  busi 
ly  she  worked  on  the  garment  Miss  Hansy 
had  cut  out,  and  the  thought  of  doing 
something  herself  for  the  poor  woman  over 
came  all  difficulties,  and  made  labor  seem 
light. 

Although  Miss  Hansy  had  the  lion's  share 
in  the  work,  yet  Belle  had  not  wasted  a 
moment  until  the  time  came  for  her  to  pre 
pare  for  the  pleasure  of  taking  the  garment 
herself,  to  which  Miss  Hansy  was  putting  in 
the  finishing  stitches,  in  her  own  room. 


THE  PROMISED  BLESSING.  71 

When  Belle  was  ready  to  start  from  the 
door,  she  was  surprised  and  a  little  annoyed 
to  see  old  Amos  ready  to  accompany  her. 

Her  annoyance  passed  away  in  a  moment, 
when  Miss  Hansy  said,  "Amos  will  go  with 
thee  to  carry  the  bag.  The  children  must 
not  go  hungry." 

The  bag,  which  had  been  hidden  by  the 
figure  of  the  stout,  old  man,  was  a  welcome 
sight,  and  Belle  doubted  not  that  it  con 
tained  supplies  that  would  be  most  accepta 
ble,  in  spite  of  the  heavily-laden  basket  that 
she  had  helped  to  carry  in  the  morning. 

Amos  kept  at  a  respectful  distance  in  the 
rear,  and  Belle  walked  rapidly  on,  lost  in  her 
own  meditations.  She  soon  reached  the 
small  house,  and  was  about  entering  in  her 
eagerness,  when  the  sound  of  voices  within 
made  her  take  her  hand  from  the  latch, 
and  knock  somewhat  hesitatingly  at  the 
door. 

There  was  a  slight  stir  within,  and  before 
she  was  admitted  she  distinctly  heard  the 
not  unfamiliar  tones  of  a  strong  but  pleasant, 


72  BELLE;  OK, 

hearty  female  voice,  apparently  speaking  words 
of  comfort  to  some  one  sobbing  within. 

Jany's  little  pale  face  soon  appeared  above 
the  half-open  door,  and  Belle  felt  the  smile 
of  welcome,  with  which  it  greeted  her,  was 
well  worth  having. 

"  Why,  miss !  I  did  not  look  for  you  here," 
said  a  cheerful  voice,  and  an  honest  right 
hand  was  offered  to  Belle,  while  the  pleasant 
face  of  the  country-woman,  who  had  been 
her  fellow-traveller,  beamed  upon  her,  bright 
with  agreeable  surprise. 

Belle  shook  the  offered  hand,  and,  bowing 
to  the  invalid,  sat  down  rather  awkwardly, 
while  Johnny  peered  out  from  behind  his 
mother,  looking  at  Belle  a  little  more  favor 
ably  than  when  they  had  parted  in  the  morn 
ing.  The  warm  greeting  given  by  his  mother 
to  Belle,  seemed  to  have  forced  upon  him 
the  idea  that  she  might  not  be  altogether  un 
worthy  his  notice,  though  so  much  of  a 
heathen. 

That  his  mother  knew  quite  as  much  about 
her  as  he  did,  he  was  sure,  for  had  he  not 


THE   PROMISED   BLESSING.  73 

rehearsed  to  her  faithfully  every  word  of  their 
conversation  of  the  morning,  and  had  she 
not  said  in  reply,  "  Poor  young  thing,  may 
God  help  her  to  know  the  better  way !" 

Belle's  doubt  as  to  how  to  open  the  ob 
ject  of  her  visit  was  suddenly  resolved  by  de 
cided  action  on  the  part  of  Amos.  The  door 
was  thrown  open,  the  great  bag  was  drop 
ped  on  the  floor,  and  at  the  same  time 
seeming  to  address  himself  to  the  ceiling,  he 
said,  "Miss  Hansy  Ware  sends  this,  with  her 
kind  wishes  to  her  new  neighbor ;"  and  then 
he  immediately  disappeared. 

"  I  am  much  obliged  to  Miss  Hansy  Ware, 
whoever  she  may  be,"  said  the  young  wo 
man.  "  I  am  not  worthy  to  have  such  friends 
raised  up  to  me  in  my  distress.  How  my 
poor  mother  would  thank  you  for  your  kind 
ness!"  and  she  cast  a  grateful  look  towards 
the  country-woman,  who  had  drawn  up  close 
to  her  with  a  motherly,  protective  air. 

"  Miss  Hansy  thought  you  might  like  a 
wrapper,  as  you  are  not  very  strong  to  sew 

for  yourself,"    said    Belle,    glad    to    have    an 

7 


74  BELLE;  OR, 

opportunity  of  using  the  name  of  another? 
as  she  produced  her  parcel,  and  unrolled  the 
comfortable  garment. 

"  How  very  nice  !  how  thoughtful !"  said 
the  poor  woman,  smiling  sorrowfully ;  "  but 
who  is  this  kind  Miss  Hansy?" 

Belle,  in  her  utter  inability  to  answer  this 
question,  turned  her  eyes  inquiringly  towards 
her  friend  of  the  stage-coach,  as  if  expecting 
from  her  the  required  reply,  and  she  was 
not  disappointed. 

"  Miss  Hansy  "Ware  is  a  stranger  here  herself. 
Nobody  knows  her  much  except  our  pastor; 
she  never  goes  out  nowhere,  and  the  sarving 
man  she  brought  along  with  her — the  same  as 
brought  the  bag  there — don't  put  up  with  hav 
ing  questions  asked  him.  It's  like  she's  shy 
about  visiting,  because  of  her  one  eye ;  but  I 
don't  call  that  the  right  sort  of  feeling ;  just  as 
if  any  body  would  not  feel  more  tender-like 
towards  her  for  having  such  a  misfortune. 
They  do  say  she  came  in  a  covered  wagon  in 
the  evening,  just  on  purpose  not  to  be  morti 
fied,  seeing  strangers  in  the  stage-coach,  but  lie 


THE   PROMISED  BLESSING.  75 

says  lie  don't  think  it's  any  body's  business  how 
she  came,  and  he's  sure  she's  all  right,  for  our 
pastor  likes  her,  and  it's  a  perfect  pattern  to  see 
her  at  church,  she's  so  quiet  and  so  solemn- 
like." 

Belle  listened  with  great  interest  to  every 
word  spoken  by  her  broad-faced  friend,  and 
would  willingly  have  asked  further  questions 
about  a  subject  in  which  she  was  so  much  in 
terested  ;  but  a  natural  sense  of  delicacy  kept 
her  silent. 

No  such  motives  influenced  the  invalid,  and 
she  exclaimed,  "Poor  thing!  only  one  eye! 
well,  that  is  bad  luck.  Little  wonder  she  don't 
like  to  be  seen !" 

"She  needn't  mind  showing  her  face,"  said 
Johnny,  looking  out  boldly  from  behind  his 
mother.  "  She  looks  sweeter  with  her  one  eye 
than  most  folks  with  two.  When  I  fell  on  the 
ice,  just  by  her,  two  weeks  ago  Sunday,  didn't 
she  pick  me  up  herself,  and  look  at  me  so  kind. 
I  was  glad  I  fell,  just  to  have  her  turn  so  kind 
towards  me  and  say,  'Never  thee  mind  that, 
my  lad ;  better  thee  should  stumble  many  times 


76  ii^v  ..    BELLE;  OR, 

like  that  than  fall  into  ever  so  little  a  sin!' 
Those  were  the  very  words  she  said." 

"Yes,  and  true  words  they  were,  Johnny," 
said  the  mother,  with  a  fond,  approving  glance. 

The  little  face  of  the  boy  expressed  a  serious, 
silent  assent  to  what  his  mother  had  said,  and 
the  young  woman  responded  aloud  : 

"  Yes,  that's  true  enough  !  It  isn't  easy  tak 
ing  back  what's  done,  and  that's  the  worst  of  it. 
It's  no  use  thinking  of  what's  past.  When 
you've  gone  wrong  once  it's  all  down-hill  after 
wards,"  and  she  placed  her  hand  on  her  side. 

"Don't  say  _.  that,  Nanny,"  said  the  stout 
woman  kindly..  "  The  Scripture  says  '  return,' 
and  that's  what  every  body  ought  to  set  about 
doing  who  finds  themselves  on  a  wrong  way." 

Nanny  fixed,  her  sunken  eyes  on  the  face  of 
her  visitor,  and  said  earnestly,  "  Eeturn  ? — yes, 
if  I  only  knew  how." 

Mrs.  Tilden  (for  that  was  the  name  of  the 
honest  country-woman)  drew  her  chair  closer 
to  Nanny's,  side,;  Simply  and  clearly  she  ex 
plained  the  free  offers  of  pardon  and  eternal 
happiness  made  in  the  Bible,  to  all  who  re- 


THE  PKOMISED  BLESSING.  77 

pent  and  believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
Nanny  listened  with  anxious  interest,  and  eyes 
full  of  tears,  but  not  a  word  escaped  her  lips. 

"May  God  help  you  to  take  His  truth  to 
your  heart,"  said  Mrs.  Tilden,  solemnly. 

Nanny  murmured  "Amen,"  and  buried  her 
face  in  her  hands. 

Mrs.  Tilden  quietly  rose  to  take  leave,  and 
Belle  followed  her  example.  "When  they  were 
quite  ready,  they  both  approached  the  poor 
young  woman,  whose  head  was  still  bowed  on 
her  knees.  Belle  could  not  hear  the  words 
of  comfort  whispered  by  her  companion,  but 
she  saw  the  upraised  face  suddenly  lighted 
by  hope,  as  she  answered: 

"  Oh,  if  it  could  be  so  I  May  God  bless 
you  for  your  kindness  to  a  poor  unworthy 
creature !" 

"Good-bye,  Nanny,"  said  Belle,  taking  the 
invalid's  hand,  kindly.  The  young  girl  could 
not  speak  words  of  comfort,  but  her  face, 
beaming  with  hearty  sympathy,  told  the  in 
terest  she  felt. 

"Thank  you,  thank  you,  miss:    you  are  all 

Y* 


78  BELLE;  OR, 

very  kind.  And  thank  her,  too — I  mean  Miss 
Hansy,  as  you  call  her.  The  children  are 
provided  for  now,  as  long  as  I  shall  live,  I 
dare  say,  and  after  that — " 

"  They  shall  not  want  friends,"  said  Mrs. 
Tilden,  finishing  the  sentence.  "The  orphans — 
God  is  pledged  to  take  care  of  them.  Ke- 
member  that,  Nanny." 

In  another  moment  the  door  was  closed, 
and  Belle  stood  side  by  side  with  Mrs.  Til- 
den  in  the  little  yard. 

Johnny  looked  at  his  mother  doubtfully,  to 
see  what  course  she  would  pursue  under 
these  circumstances.  As  she  stepped  on  with 
Belle,  he  seemed  to  think  it  possible  his  prin 
ciples  might  not  be  compromised  by  keep 
ing  her  company,  and  they  all  three  walked 
on  together,  for  a  few  moments,  in  silence. 

Johnny  was  the  first  to  speak.  "Oh,  moth 
er!"  he  said,  "do  you  think  she  will  really 
die?" 

"Yes,  my  child,"  said  the  mother  gently, 
"I  do  not  believe  Nanny  has  many  weeks  to 
live;  but  I  hope  she  will  go  to  the  'better 


THE   PKOMISED  BLESSING.  79 

country,'  where  sickness  and  sorrow  never 
come." 

"  Oh  dear !  I  wish  every  body  was  good," 
said  the  little  boy,  half-crying.  "I  feel  so 
badly  about  Nanny,  and — a — " 

He  did  not  finish,  but  dropping  behind  his 
mother,  he  rubbed  his  eyes  vigorously  with 
his  small  pocket-handkerchief,  and  relapsed 
into  silence. 

Belle  could  not  help  thinking  that  her  own 
acknowledged  indifference  to  holy  things  was 
one  cause  of  the  little  fellow's  sorrow,  and  she 
was  touched  by  his  quiet  distress. 

"  Don't  feel  badly,  Johnny,"  she  said,  step 
ping  back  to  his  side,  and,  stooping  down  to 
him,  she  added  in  a  low  voice,  "  I  mean  to 
try  to  be  better." 

There  was  real  joy  in  the  glance  he  turned 
towards  her,  and  an  expression  of  hearty  con 
fidence  in  the  way  in  which  he  took  the  hand 
which  she  held  out  to  him. 

"You  seem  fond  of  children,"  said  Mrs. 
Tilden;  "have  you  brothers  and  sisters  of 
your  own  ?"  It  was  a  common  question,  but 


80  BELLE;  OK, 

it  brought  up  to  Belle  the  dear  home-circle 
from  which  she  had  been  so  suddenly  ex 
pelled,  and  she  could  hardly  command  herself 
enough  to  answer. 

"  I  have  only  one  brother,  and  he  is  almost 
as  old  as  I  am ;  but  J  am  very  fond  of  chil 
dren,  though  I  have  never  lived  in  the  house 
with  them." 

"If  you  love  children,  you  must  come  to 
our  house ;  we  have  plenty  there.  It  is  only 
a  pretty  little  walk  from  Miss  Hansy's,  when 
you  take  the  lane  where  we  turn  off.  Won't 
you  come?" 

"I  should  like  to,  very  much,"  said  Belle, 
heartily. 

"  You  can't  mistake  the  road.  Follow  this 
lane  until  you  come  to  the  big  gate  at  the 
end,  and  then  you  are  at  our  farm,  where  we 
shall  always  be  happy  to  see  you,"  said  Mrs. 
Tilden,  as  she  came  at  that  moment  to  the 
cross-road  which  Johnny  had  before  taken. 

Pleasant  words  of  parting  were  exchanged, 
and  then  Belle  loosed  the  hand  of  her  little 
companion,  and  walked  on  alone. 


THE  PROMISED  BLESSING.  81 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

SOLEMN      LESSONS. 

IT  was  Sunday  morning.  Belle  had  risen 
full  of  good  resolutions,  and  impatient  to  be 
gin  upon  the  thorough  reform  she  meant  to 
commence  in  her  heart  and  life.  She  had 
made  up  her  mind  to  read  a  little  in  her 
Bible  every  day,  and  had  taken  up  the  holy 
book  for  the  purpose.  She  could  not  decide 
where  to  begin,  and  was  turning  over  the 
leaves  doubtfully,  when  there  was  a  gentle 
knock  at  the  door. 

Belle  looked  annoyed  at  the  interruption, 
and  rose,  somewhat  impatiently,  to  open  the 
door.  Miss  Hansy's  kind  "  good-morning " 
banished  this  feeling,  and  Belle  was  glad  to 
see  her  sit  down,  as  if  she  had  something  to 
say. 

"  "Would  thee  like  to  go  to  church  this 
morning?"  asked  Miss  Hansy. 


82  BELLE;  OB, 

"Yes,  indeed!  Are  you  going?"  said  Belle, 
eagerly. 

"  I  can  not  go,"  said  Miss  Hansy,  sober 
ly  ;  "  but  Amos  will  show  thee  the  way,  if 
thee  would  like  it.  Thee  must  be  ready  to 
start  by  half-past  nine.  I  shall  not  see  thee 
again  before  that  time.  May  the  blessing  of 
the  Lord  find  thee  on  His  own  day !"  Hav 
ing  uttered  these  last  words  with  the  earnest 
ness  of  a  prayer,  Miss  Hansy  gave  Belle 
one  of  her  unexpected  kisses,  and  went  out 
quickly. 

Belle  did  not  again  take  up  her  Bible,  for 
her  mind  was  filled  with  new  topics  of  thought, 
and  she  forgot  the  occupation  in  which  she  had 
been  interrupted  by  Miss  Hansy's  visit. 

"  Was  she  going  to  a  Quaker  meeting  ?  How 
long  was  the  walk  ?  What  should  she  wear  ? 
Why  could  not  Miss  Hansy  go  ?"  These  ques 
tions,  and  many  others,  filled  the  mind  of  Belle, 
while  she  took  her  solitary  breakfast  and  pre 
pared  for  church. 

At  the  appointed  hour,  Arnos  was  in  attend 
ance — hat  on,  and  stick  in  hand.  Acting  as 


THE  PKOMISED  BLESSING.  83 

guide,  he  stepped  on  before  Belle,  passed  the 
lane  that  led  to  Tilden  farm,  and  went  steadily 
forward  until  he  came  to  the  humble  home  of 
poor  Nanny.  Here,  to  Belle's  astonishment, 
he  turned,  and  before  she  could  speak  to  him, 
for  she  was  at  some  distance  behind  him,  he 
entered  the  house. 

When  she  came  up  to  the  little  gate,  he 
was  there  again,  and  ready  to  go  on  before  her. 
"  How  is  Nanny  this  morning  ?"  asked 
Belle,  impatiently. 

"  She  thanks  Miss  Ware,  and  is  more  com 
fortable." 

These  words  Amos  seemed  to  let  unwillingly 
out  of  his  mouth,  and  made  amends  for  their 
utterance  by  unbroken  silence  during  the  rest 
of  their  walk.  He  kept  himself  out  of  the 
way  of  further  questions  by  walking  at  such 
a  rapid  pace  as  to  leave  Belle  constantly  some 
yards  in  the  rear. 

Belle  soon  had  enough  to  occupy  her  atten 
tion,  for  she  found  herself  drawing  near  the 
little  village  of  Sanders. 

A    few   neat    white    houses,    with    gardens 


84:  BELLE;  OR, 

about  them,  were  clustered  near  a  post-office 
and  a  blacksmith's  shop,  while  a  little  apart, 
with  its  grass-grown  cemetery  around  it,  stood 
the  village  church.  A  cheerful  bell  was  giv 
ing  out  its  call  to  prayer,  and  the  worshippers 
were  already  gathering. 

Amos  walked  up  the  steps,  and  up  the.  mid 
dle  alley  to  the  second  pew,  and  threw  open 
the  door  without  once  looking  behind  him. 

Belle  mechanically  took  her  seat,  and  then 
glanced  timidly  around  her.  That  glance 
brought  a  flush  of  pleasure  to  her  cheek, 
for  it  convinced  her  that  she  was  at  home, 
where  she  could  worship  God  u  after  the  man 
ner  of  her  fathers." 

Kneeling  down,  she  repeated  a  short  prayer, 
in  .which  she  asked  that  the  services  might 
be  blessed  to  her,  and  that  she  might  not  give 
way  to  wandering  thoughts,  or  suffer  mere 
worship  of  the  lips  to  take  the  place  of  true 
devotion  of  the  heart.  These  words  she  had 
spoken  from  Sunday  to  Sunday,  since  in  child 
hood  her  mother  had  taught  them  to  her,  but 
now  there  was  much  real  earnestness  in  her 


THE   PROMISED   BLESSING.  85 

petitions.  She  had  begun  to  desire  those  spir 
itual  blessings,  to  which  she  felt  she  was  a 
stranger. 

From  distant  farms  and  humble  way-side 
homes  the  worshippers  slowly  gathered.  Belle 
watched  them  coming  in,  and  felt  a  sense  of 
loneliness  stealing  over  her,  as  strange  faces 
began  to  look  out  from  the  seats  about  her. 
A  large  square  pew  near  her  was  still  vacant ; 
but  even  its  ample  dimensions  seemed  hardly 
capacious  enough  to  hold  the  family  that  now 
entered  the  church.  Father  and  mother,  stout 
and  comely,  were  followed  by  children  of  all 
sizes,  from  the  brown  -  cheeked  son,  able  to 
handle  the  plough,  to  the  rosy  two-year  old 
child  in  his  father's  arms. 

Belle  felt  a  smile  of  recognition  pass  over 
her  face  as  she  perceived  Mrs.  Tilden  and 
Johnny  in  the  little  group,  though  quite  unob 
served  by  them. 

The  children  were  soon  ranged  in  orderly 
rows,  and  then  Belle  could  not  help  noticing 
one  pale,  sorrow-marked  little  face  in  the  midst 
of  the  glowing  health  and  cheerfulness  around. 


86  BELLE;  OR, 

Yes  ;  she  was  not  mistaken — she  had  seen  those 
sad  eyes,  and  those  thin  cheeks.  Even  in  her 
new  and  'comfortable  clothes,  Belle  recognized 
Nanny's  little  Jany,  in  the  midst  of  Mrs.  Til- 
den's  own  bright  group.  Belle  had  been  so 
busy  watching  her  friends  in  the  square  pew 
that  she  had  not  observed  that  the  clergyman 
had  entered  the  chancel.  The  congregation 
suddenly  rose,  and  a  deep  voice  uttered  the 
words — "  I  will  arise  and  go  to  my  Father,  and 
will  say  unto  Him,  Father,  I  have  sinned 
against  heaven  and  before  Thee,  and  am  no 
more  worthy  to  be  called  Thy  son." 

The  words  thrilled  through  the  heart  of 
Belle,  as  if  she  alone  had  been  addressed ;  and 
conscience  whispered  of  repentance  and  return 
to  her  earthly  father,  and  suggested  the  thought 
of  a  heavenly  parent  offended  and  forsaken. 

The  clergyman  was  no  stranger  to  Belle. 
That  silver  hair,  that  calm  and  loving  face 
she  had  watched  through  those  weary  days  in 
the  stage  coach,  and  had  learned  from  them  a 
lesson  not  soon  to  be  forgotten.  She  could 
not  fail  to  recognize  the  venerable  stranger  in 


THE   PROMISED  BLESSING.  87 

whose  conversation  her  father  had  found  such 
a  charm.  A  long,  long  time  it  seemed  to  Belle, 
since  that  first  day  of  leaving  home,  now  that 
she  looked  back  to  it,  and  she  felt  that  some 
change  had  taken  place  in  her,  since,  cold 
and  proud,  she  rode,  mile  after  mile,  in  silence. 
She  felt  almost  as  if  the  clergyman  must  have 
recognized  her  and  known  something  of  her 
circumstances,  so  directly  addressed  to  her 
seemed  the  earnest  words  with  which  he  open 
ed  the  service :  "I  will  arise  and  go  to  my 
Father."  With  the  exhortation  she  had  been 
familiar  since  her  childhood,  but  now  it  fell 
on  her  ears  with  new  force ;  she  felt  herself 
particularly  urged  to  make  a  confession  of  the 
sins  of  her  youth,  and  to  seek  forgiveness 
where  only  it  could  be  found. 

In  a  voice  too  low  for  human  ears,  Belle 
breathed  the  words  of  the  confession,  in  sin 
cerity  and  truth,  and  when  the  absolution  was 
pronounced,  the  minister  seemed  to  her  a 
messenger  sent  of  God,  to  declare  unto  her 
pardon  and  peace. 

With  a  solemn  consciousness  of  the  presence 


88  BELLE;  OB, 

of  the  Lord  to  whom  she  had  really  spoken, 
Belle  rose  from  her  knees.  She  joined  in  the 
chants  and  listened  with  attention  during  the 
lessons;  but  when  once  more  in  the  attitude 
of  prayer,  her  mind  wandered  far  away  from 
the  holy  thoughts  with  which  it  should  have 
been  occupied,  and  it  was  not  until  the  text 
was  given  out,  that  she  once  more  realized 
the  presence  of  God  in  His  own  temple,  and 
the  unworthiness  of  such  a  worshipper  as  her 
self. 

"  The  heart  is  deceitful  above  all  things  and 
desperately  wicked,"  said  the  earnest  voice  of 
the  clergyman.  These  faithful  words  of  Scrip 
ture  he  so  brought  home  to  his  congregation, 
that  many  a  head  was  bowed  in  shame,  and 
many  an  eye  full  of  tears.  For  the  first  time 
in  her  life,  Belle  had  a  faint  idea  of  the  sin- 
fulness  of  her  own  heart,  and  the  deep  rebel 
lion  of  her  past  life. 

The  tender  mercy  and  loving  kindness  of 
the  God  against  whom  the  human  soul  op 
poses  itself,  to  its  own  destruction,  were  dwelt 
upon  by  the  earnest  speaker,  till  Belle  was 


THE   PROMISED  BLESSING.  89 

overwhelmed  with  shame  and  contrition,  at 
the  base  ingratitude  which  she  had  shown  to 
such  a  heavenly  Father — such  a  Saviour.  No 
one  watched  the  changing  expressions  as  they 
were  marked  on  her  uplifted  face,  no  one  read 
the  secret  of  her  heart,  save  the  Eye  which 
beholds  but  to  pity,  and  chastens  but  to  save. 

Yet  Belle's  presence  at  church  had  not  es 
caped  the  notice  of  the  pastor,  and  he  took 
pains  to  give  her  a  welcome  among  the  mem 
bers  of  his  flock.  His  voice  sounded  kindly 
in  her  ear  as  she  was  passing  through  the 
porch,  and  his  hand  was  outstretched,  as  he 
said,  "Miss  Cortlandt,  I  believe.  I  am  glad 
to  have  you  under  my  peculiar  care,  and  I 
shall  not  forget  that  you  belong  to  me.  I 
should  have  called  upon  you  at  Miss  Ware's 
long  ere  this,  had  I  not  been  suddenly  sum 
moned  from  home  the  day  after  we  parted  in 
the  stage-coach." 

Meanwhile,  old  Amos  stood  by,  evidently 
quite  ready  to  be  moving,  yet  not  unwilling 
to  claim  some  small  share  of  the  clergyman's 

attention. 

8* 


90  BELLE;  OB, 

"  Well,  Amos,  you  are  as  regular  as  the 
church  bell,"  said  the  old  gentleman.  "I 
should  hardly  know,  now,  what  to  think  of  a 
Sunday  when  you  were  not  here.  Present  my 
particular  regards  to  Miss  Ware,  and  tell  her 
I  have  been  away  from  home  a  couple  of 
weeks,  but  shall  try  and  see  her  to-morrow." 

"Miss  Hansy  will  be  most  partikler  glad  to 
see  Mr.  Heber,"  said  Amos,  with  a  significant 
look.  "  Things  haven't  gone  just  right,"  and 
having  added  this  remark,  his  mouth  shut 
suddenly,  as  if  he  feared  that  he  had  said  too 
much. 

Belle  had  food  enough  for  thought  during 
her  solitary  walk  homeward.  Most  unworthy 
she  felt  to  share  even  the  common  mercies 
showered  so  abundantly  by  her  heavenly  Fa 
ther.  The  sunshine  and  the  clear,  bracing  air 
seemed  more  than  she  deserved,  after  so  many 
years  of  thanklessness  arid  rebellion. 

Belle  was  walking  slowly  and  unconsciously 
past  the  cottage  of  poor  Nanny,  when  she  was 
suddenly  arrested  by  loud  cries  of  "  Stop ! 
stop,  miss !  Mother !  mother !  Come  !  come  1" 


THE   PROMISED  BLESSING.  91 

In  a  moment  Belle  was  at  the  bedside  of 
Nanny.  She  found  her  lying  faint  and  pant 
ing,  while  Jany,  in  her  neat  Sunday  attire,  was 
vainly  trying  to  bring  back  some  color  to 
her  cheeks — some  signs  of  life  and  interest  in 
what  was  going  on  around  her. 

Belle  was  inexperienced  in  the  sick-room, 
but  there  was  a  pallor  in  the  face  of  poor 
Nanny,  and  a  strange,  unnatural  sound  in  her 
breathing,  that  forced  home  the  fearful  truth 
that  she  was  dying. 

Belle  placed  her  arm  under  the  head  of 
the  poor  woman,  and  strove  to  raise  it.  As 
she  sat  upon  the  low  bed,  supporting  the  suf 
ferer,  she  heard  her  murmur  a  few  broken 
words,  with  the  earnestness  of  one  who  will 
soon  cease  to  be  heard  on  earth. 

"  Tell  her — my  mother — Nanny  never  saw  a 
happy  day  after  she  left  her  home.  Tell  her, 
forgive!  forgive!  If  I  could  only  hear  her 
say,  '  never  mind,  child ;  it's  all  over  now.' 
Tell  him  there's  a  world  where  Jesus  takes  in 
the  poor  and  sorrowful,  as  well  as  the  rich,  if 
they  will  trust.  Tell  him  to  trust  in  Jesus!" 


92  BELLE;  OR, 

These  words  Nanny  had  spoken  unfalter 
ingly,  though  almost  in  a  whisper,  but  now 
her  weak  voice  trembled,  and  her  eyes,  so  soon 
to  close  in  death,  filled  with  tears  as  she  look 
ed  at  her  little  ones,  and  said,  "  God  help  the 
children  !  They'll  miss  their  mother,  poor  and 
wicked  as  she  has  been ;  but  they'll  never  suf 
fer  what  I  have,  goin'  against  the  wishes  of 
the  mother  that  held  me  on  her  knee.  That's 
a  comfort  to  think  of.  God  help  the  poor 
things !  There,  don't  cry,  Jany.  Mother's 
goin'  to  the  Lord  Jesus.  Poor  and  wicked  as 
she  has  been,  Jesus  will  wash  her  and  make 
her  fit  for  heaven.  Good-bye,  Jany.  Eaise 
up  little  Jack,  and  let  me  see  him  once  more." 

The  mother  tenderly  kissed  the  wondering 
child,  and  then  strove  to  turn  and  take  to  her 
breast  the  helpless  babe  that  lay  at  her  side, 
but  she  was  not  equal  to  the  effort. 

"No!  I  can't  leave  the  poor  things  here, 
alone ;  I  can't  leave  my  poor  babies  !"  she 
exclaimed. 

"  God  will  take  care  of  them,  Nanny,"  said 
Belle,  much  overcome. 


THE  PROMISED  BLESSING.  93 

"  Yes  ;  I  leave  my  little  ones  to  God.  I  ge 
to  sit  low  down  in  heaven,  let  in  for  Jesus7 
sake!  for  Jesus'  sake — Jesus'  sake!"  murmur 
ed  the  poor  woman,  in  a  voice  still  fainter  and 
fainter. 

Belle  waited  to  hear  again  that  earnest 
whisper  "  for  Jesus'  sake ;"  but  the  voice 
which  had  spoken  was  silent  in  death — the 
soul  had  gone  to  its  account. 

Even  the  children  were  awed  into  perfect 
stillness,  as  they  looked  for  a  moment  on  the 
rigid  face  of  their  mother ;  then  rose  a  cry  of 
distress,  such  as  only  comes  when  childhood 
feels  the  strong  grief  of  an  older  heart. 

Little  Jany  flung  herself  on  the  bed,  be 
side  her  mother,  and  screamed  in  her  bitter 
distress,  while  Jack  joined  his  baby  lamenta 
tions  for  a  loss  he  as  yet  could  little  under 
stand.  Belle  strove  in  vain  to  comfort  the  chil 
dren;  at  length  she  said  desperately,  "Where 
is  Mrs.  Tilden?" 

"  She  rode  away,  and  took  Lucy — the  girl 
who  staid  here  this  morning — too.  0,  I  wish 
they  were  here!" 


94 

.  Amos  had  made  sure  of  Mrs.  Tilden's  pres 
ence  where  he  saw  she  was  so  much  needed, 
by  starting  on  briskly  after  the  great  wagon, 
which  he 'saw,-  in  the  distance,  turning  down 
the  lane  that  led  to  Tilden  farm.  His  loud 
calls  sounded  out  on  the  Sunday  stillness, 
and  soon  brought  little  Johnny's  indignant 
face  to  the  rear  of  the  wagon,  where  he  would 
have  administered  a  rebuke  if  old  Amos  had 
been  within  hearing  of  his  young  voice. 

"  Making  such  a  noise,  Sunday  !  It's  a  shame, 
indeed !"  said  Johnny.  "  It's  a  shame,  mother, 
and  I  hope  you'll  tell  him  so." 

Mrs.  Tilden  spoke  quickly,  but  it  was  to 
utter  no  word  of  blame.  "  Turn,  husband, 
turn  quickly !  There  must  be  something 
wrong  to  bring  Amos  at  such  a  pace."  The 
long  wagon  was  soon  at  Amos's  side. 

"She's  a  dying,  the  woman  there  is!"  said 
Amos,  then  wheeling  round,  he  started  off  for 
Miss  Ware's  at  the  same  rapid  pace  as  before. 

Mrs.  Tilden  soon  stood  beside  the  bed 
where  Nanny  was  lying  cold  and  stiff  in 
death.  Susan,  the  girl  who  had  been  entrust- 


THE   PROMISED  BLESSING.  95 

ed  with  the  care  of  Nanny  during  the  morn 
ing,  followed  wild  with  fright  and  astonish 
ment. 

"She  did  sit  up  uncommon,  only  an  hour 
ago,  Miss  Tilden,  as  I  told  you!  I  don't  see 
what's  took  her!"  said  she. 

"Silence,  Susan!"  said  Mrs.  Tilden  solemn 
ly,  as  she  drew  the  weeping  children  to  her 
side,  and  then  with  her  arm  round  each  of 
them,  she  knelt  beside  their  mother.  Belle 
followed  her  example.  Mrs.  Tilden  spoke  to 
the  God,  into  whose  keeping  the  soul  of  the 
mother  had  passed,  and  besought  Him  to 
watch  over  with  peculiar  care  the  motherless 
little  ones,  now  left  to  the  charge  of  strangers. 
She  asked  that  all  present  might  be  made 
"  deeply  sensible  of  the  shortness  and  uncer 
tainty  of  human  life,"  and  so  live  as  not  to 
fail  of  a  final  entrance  into  the  kingdom  above. 

Deeply  solemnized,  Belle  joined  heartily  in 
this  earnest  prayer,  and,  for  the  first  time  in 
her  life,  fully  realized  that  she,  too,  must  soon 
lie  down  in  death. 

Jany  and  little  Jack  clung  to  Mrs.  Tilden 


96  BELLE;  OK, 

as  if  she  bad  some  strange  power  to  comfort 
them.  She  led  them  gently  from  the  room, 
and  placed  them  in  the  great  wagon  among 
her  own  rosy  children,  who  looked  with 
wonder  and  pity  at  their  swollen,  sorrowful 
faces. 

"  Don't  cry,  please  don't,"  said  Johnny, 
producing  his  own  ever-ready  pocket-handker 
chief.  "  Don't  cry,  and  I'll  tell  you  about 
Jesus." 

"  Jesus,'7  said  Jany,  looking  up,  "  that's 
where  mother  said  she  was  going." 

Johnny  forbore  expressing  any  pious  hor 
ror  at  her  mistake,  and  drawing  close  to  her 
side,  he  began  to  talk  in  his  own  little  earnest 
way,  about  the  Saviour  whom  he  had  learned 
to  love. 

Mrs.  Tilden  slipped  away,  and  in  a  few  mo 
ments  returned  with  the  poor,  weak  baby  in 
her  motherly  arms. 

"Husband,"  said  she,  "you  must  take  the 
poor  wee  thing  home  yourself.  You've  a  ten 
der  hand  for  the  little  ones,  bless  you !" 

The  sturdy  farmer  reached   down  from  his 


; 

THE   PKOMISED   BLESSING.  97 

seat,  and  took  the  infant  gently  in  his  arms, 
while  tears  stood  in  his  brown  eyes. 

"  Poor  baby !"  he  said,  as  he  wrapped  her 
in  his  heavy  overcoat,  and  buttoned  her  next 
to  his  heart.  "  Grod  do  so  to  me,  as  I  stand 
friend  to  this  one !"  he  murmured,  and  then 
dashing  away  his  tears,  he  gathered  up  the 
reins,  much  to  the  relief  of  the  strong  and 
restive  horses,  and  drove  off  towards  the 
farm. 

"  This  is  no  place  for  the  young  lady," 
said  Mrs.  Tilden,  turning  to  Belle.  "  Susan 
and  I  can  do  all  that  is  necessary.  Some 
one  will  do  the  same  for  us  one  day." 

"  I  should  like  to  help  you,"  said  Belle, 
quietly. 

"  Miss  Hansy  Ware,  no  doubt,  will  give  you 
a  way  to  help  us  at  home,"  said  Mrs.  Tilden. 
"You  had  better  go  on  now,  child.  May 
what  you  have  seen  be  blessed  to  you!  Good 
bye,  dear." 

Miss  Hansy  did  provide  work  for  Belle,  on 
which   she  sewed  with  many  solemn,  prayer 
ful  thoughts. 
9 


98  BELLE;  OB, 

Belle  earnestly  desired  to  be  "led  into  all 
truth,"  and  the  (rod  who  orders  every  cir 
cumstance  of  our  lives,  was  opening  her  eyes 
to  see  the  way  which  leadeth  unto  eternal 
life. 


THE  PROMISED  BLESSING.  99 


CHAPTER  IX. 

LETTERS. 

THE  remains  of  poor  Nanny  had  been  laid 
in  the  village  church-yard,  and  her  helpless 
family  had  been  welcomed  to  the  plenty  and 
cheerfulness  of  Tilden  farm. 

Nanny  had  passed  from  the  weary  scenes 
of  earth  to  the  eternal  home,  which  she  hum 
bly  entered  "for  Jesus'  sake." 

Meanwhile  the  soul  of  Belle  had  passed 
through  a  change  as  important,  and  over 
which,  perchance,  there  was  equal  joy  in 
heaven. 

The  sheet  of  paper  which  she  had  so  often 
drawn  out  to  write  a  confession  of  her  fault, 
was  no  longer  kept  blank  by  pride  and  an 
evil  heart.  It  had  been  covered  with  words 
of  deep  penitence  and  humble  petitions  for 


100  BELLE  ;    OK, 

pardon,  and  was  now  far  on  its  way  to  her 
distant  home. 

It  had  cost  Mrs.  Cortlandt  a  severe  strug 
gle  to  suffer  quietly  the  separation  from  her 
daughter,  which  her  husband  had  deemed 
necessary.  Full  of  love  and  forgiveness  for 
the  absent  one,  she  longed  for  her  at  her 
side,  and  about  her  daily  walk. 

Mr.  Cortlandt,  though  not  less  affectionate, 
was  of  a  more  determined  spirit,  and  he  was 
resolved  to  leave  Belle  where  he  knew  her 
to  be  surrounded  by  influences  calculated  to 
produce  the  right  effect  upon  her,  while  he, 
at  the  family  altar  and  in  the  closet,  ceased 
not  to  implore  the  divine  blessing  on  his 
dear,  but  erring  child. 

Day  after  day  had  passed  away,  and  yet 
no  letter  had  arrived  from  Belle,  though 
Miss  Hansy  forwarded  frequent  accounts  of 
her  welfare,  and  expressed  her  growing  at 
tachment  to  her  young  charge. 

11 A  letter  from  Belle!"  shouted  Willy, 
triumphantly,  one  morning,  as  he  entered 
the  breakfast  room.  "  A  letter  from  Belle  I 


THE  PROMISED  BLESSING.  101 

I  should  knew  her  Ms  and  Cs  in  Australia." 
Mr.  Cortlandt  tore  open  the  envelope,  while 
his  wife  bent  over  him. 

Devout  thankfulness  filled  the  hearts  of  the 
parents,  as  they  read,  not  only  expressions  of 
deep  regret  for  disrespect  and  disobedience  to 
them,  but  a  hearty  acknowledgment  of  sin 
against  God,  and  an  humble  hope  of  forgive 
ness  through  the  blood  of  Christ. 

Willy  saw  with  astonishment  their  deep 
emotion,  for  he  was  ignorant  even  of  the 
cause  of  his  sister's  sudden  departure  from 
home.  The  whole  was  explained  to  him 
when  the  little  family  knelt  together  that 
morning,  and  the  Lord  above  was  thanked 
for  the  penitent  child,  not  only  brought  home 
in  heart  to  her  earthly  parents,  but  made,  in 
truth,  to  draw  near  to  her  Father  in  heaven. 

Belle  had  not  long  to  wait  for  a  reply  to 
the  letter  which  had  cost  her  so  many  tears. 
It  came,  full  of  love,  pardon  and  encourage 
ment.  Three  precious  sheets — the  advice  she 
needed  from  her  father,  the  outpouring  of 

her  mother's  tender  sympathising   heart,   and 
9* 


102  BELLE;  OR, 

a  note  from  Willy — all  his  own — expressing 
more  affection  for  her  than  she  had  ever 
dreamed  it  possible  he  should  feel  for  her. 

Belle  was  sure  that  she  was  once  more  re 
garded  with  approval,  and  looked  uptfn  with 
confidence,  and  the  thought  was  very  sweet 
to  her  ;  but,  as  she  read  the  last  line  of  her 
long  letters,  she  felt  disappointed,  that  there 
was  not  one  word  said  of  her  return  to  the 
home  she  loved,  and  the  parents  she  now  so 
anxiously  desired  to  honor.  She  shed  a  few 
bitter  tears,  and  then  her  better  feelings  tri 
umphed. 

"  I  deserve  it,  I  know  I  do.  I  will  try 
and  improve  where  I  am,  that  they  may  find 
me  really  altered,  really  fit  to  be  with  them 
by-and-bye,"  she  said,  and  strengthened  her 
resolution  with  prayer,  without  which  the 
best  resolutions  are  as  easily  broken  as  the 
wreath  of  mist  that  divides  in  the  morning 
sunlight. 

She  set  herself  forthwith  to  study  earnest 
ly  what  her  father  had  written,  after  first 
expressing  his  free  pardon  for  her  past  offences, 


THE   PROMISED   BLESSING.  103 

and  hearty  joy  at  her  having  learned  in  whom 
to  trust.     It  was  as  follows : 

ADVICE  TO  A  YOUNG  CHBISTTAN. 

"  Having  entered  the  heavenly  path,  it  is 
important  to  obtain  a  thorough  knowledge  of 
the  "Word  of  God,  which  is  a  *  guide  to  the 
feet,  and  a  lamp  to  the  path.'  It  is  better 
for  those  to  whom  spiritual  life  is  new,  to  read 
often  in  the  Holy  Scriptures,  than  to  strive 
to  read  much  at  a  time.  Have  four  fixed 
seasons,  during  the  day,  devoted  to  the  Bible  : 
a  psalm  in  the  morning,  a  few  verses  in  the 
Gospels  at  noon,  a  few  verses  from  the  Epis 
tles  before  tea,  and  a  passage  from  the  Pro 
phets  before  retiring.  On  Sunday,  read  the 
historical  portions  of  the  Old  Testament  in 
course,  in  addition  to  your  usual  daily  read 
ing.  Never  read  the  Word  of  God  without 
prayer  for  the  Holy  Spirit  to  open  your  eyes, 
and  enlighten  your  understanding.  Do  not 
read  as  a  form ;  go  to  your  Bible  as  to  a 
friend  for  counsel  and  for  comfort,  and  you 
will  learn  to  find  them  there. 


104  BELLE;  OB, 

"  Do  not  spend  much  time  thinking  of  your 
past  life,  or  of  your  own  character,  or  you 
will  be  dispirited  and  discouraged. 

"  Through  Christ  your  sins  are  all  freely 
forgiven,  and,  unworthy  as  you  now  are,  God 
is  willing  to  own  you  as  His  dear  child,  for 
the  sake  of  His  crucified  Son.  Thus  pardon 
ed  and  received,  you  are  free  to  go  forward 
cheerfully  as  a  follower  of  Christ.  A  follower 
of  Christ,  keep  your  Guide  ever  in  sight,  His 
humbly  bearing  the  cross,  His  sinlessness  in 
the  midst  of  temptation,  and  His  purity.  His 
forgivingness  and  immeasurable  love  will,  if 
watched  and  studied,  make  your  way  easy 
and  your  burden  light. 

"  Speak  to  your  Guide  freely  and  frequently, 
and  you  shall  find  your  prayers  answered  by 
Him  who  is  a  faithful  promiser. 

"  Make  no  great  plans  for  usefulness ;  be 
content  to  do,  day  by  day,  the  little  humble 
duties  your  Master  allots  as  your  task.  Be  a 
faithful  Christian  in  the  narrow  sphere  now 
given  you,  and  you  will  be  prepared  for  greater 
duties,  when  Providence  shall  open  to  you  the 


THE  PKOMISED  BLESSING.  105 

way.  Do  not  slight  the  promptings  of  con 
science,  even  about  matters  that  seem  most 
trifling.  Kegard  the  motions  of  that  inner 
guide,  and  God  will  make  it  unerring  in  point 
ing  you  to  the  way  of  truth. 

"In  conclusion,  trust  Christ,  love  Christ, 
live  with  Christ,  be  Christ-like !" 

Belle  took  down  her  Bible  and  carefully  ar 
ranged  marks  in  the  different  places  where  she 
was  to  read,  and  then,  having  asked  for  the 
blessing  of  Grod,  she  read  a  part  of  the  first 
chapter  of  John,  with  deep  interest.. 

She  was  lost  in  the  thoughts  which  these 
words  aroused,  when  Miss  Hansy  came  in,  to 
summon  her  to  the  dining-room,  to  see  a  guest 
— no  other  than  the  pastor,  Mr.  Heber.  After 
giving  Belle  a  kindly  greeting,  Mr.  Heber  told 
her  that  he  had  come  on  business,  as  well  as 
to  pay  a  friendly  visit.  Belle  half  rose,  and 
looked  significantly  at  Miss  Hansy,  to  know 
if  she  should  withdraw. 

"  My  business  is  with  you,  Miss  Belle," 
said  Mr.  Heber,  smiling.  "You  are  to  be 


106  BELLE;  OR, 

my  pupil,  so  says  your  father,  in  a  letter  I 
received  from  him  this  morning.  You  are  to 
come  to  me  to  recite  for  two  hours,  three 
mornings  in  the  week:  what  days  shall  we 
fix  upon  ?" 

"Oh,  that  will  be  so  very  pleasant!"  said 
Belle,  with  great  animation.  "  Any  days  will 
suit  me.  You  had  better  consult  your  own 
convenience,  sir." 

"Well,  then,  Monday  must  be  one  day,  of 
course,  and  Wednesday  another;  and  I  think 
we  must  take  Friday  for  the  third.  Will  that 
do?" 

"Yes,  indeed,"  said  Belle;  " but  what  shall 
I  study?" 

"Oh,  we  can  agree  upon  that  when  you 
have  passed  your  examination,"  said  Mr. 
Heber,  smiling. 

The  conversation  now  turned  upon  Nanny, 
and  the  hearty  kindness  with  which  her  little 
ones  were  treated  at  Tilden  farm.  Miss 
Hansy  began  to  grow  uneasy,  and  at  length 
said,  "If  thee  will  excuse  me  a  moment,  I 
will  see  if  all  is  ready  for  thee  in  the  wing." 


THE   PROMISED  BLESSING.  107 

"  Certainly !"  said  Mr.  Heber,  with  a  com 
passionate  look.  "I  want  your  help,  in  the 
Sunday-school,  Miss  Belle,"  he  added,  as  Miss 
Hansy  left  the  room. 

Belle  colored  deeply,  and  did  not  reply. 

"I  want  you  to  take  a  class  of  little  girls," 
continued  Mr.  Heber.  "We  are  in  want  of 
teachers,  for  our  school  grows  rapidly." 

"  I  am  not  fit  for  a  Sunday-school  teacher," 
said  Belle,  with  her  usual  frankness. 

"  I  can  hardly  believe  that,  Miss  Belle,  with 
such  parents  as  you  have.  You  must,  like 
Timothy,  have  been  trained  in  the  knowledge 
of  the  Scriptures.  I  hope  your  heart  has  not 
rejected  the  truths,  with  which  I  am  sure  you 
are  well  acquainted,"  said  Mr.  Heber,  soberly. 

"  I  have  been  all  wrong,  all  wrong,  always," 
said  Belle,  the  tears  springing  to  her  eyes; 
"but,  indeed,  I  am  trying  to  do  differently." 
There  was  an  earnestness  in  Belle's  manner 
that  could  not  be  mistaken,  and  Mr.  Heber's 
face  was  bright  with  a  pure  joy,  as  he  felt 
assured  that  his  young  friend  was  turning  her 
feet  heavenward. 


108  BELLE;  OR, 

A  long,  frank  conversation  followed,  which 
was  most  welcome  to  Belle,  and  in  her  heart 
she  rejoiced  that  God  had  sent  her  such  a 
friend  and  adviser. 

"The  conversation  had  been  so  interesting 
to  Mr.  Heber  that  he  had  not  remarked  Miss 
Hansy's  protracted  stay. 

An  unusual  noise  in  the  side  hall  attracted 
his  attention,  and  he  opened  the  door  sudden 
ly.  Amos  was  stumbling  along  the  passage, 
staggering  under  the  burden  of  Miss  Hansy's 
tall  figure.  Her  pale  face  was  thrown  back 
over  his  arm,  and  her  long  brown  hair  was 
streaming  down  almost  to  the  ground. 

"What  has  happened?  Tell  me,  quickly!" 
said  Mr.  Heber,  anxiously. 

"He's  dealt  her  another,  almost  as  bad," 
said  Amos.  "If  he  don't  go  to  the  hospital 
this  time,  it's  a  sin." 

"I  am  not  much  hurt,"  said  Miss  Hansy 
feebly,  as  she  struggled  to  rise.  "For  shame, 
Amos,  to  speak  so  of  your  master." 

The  indignant  blood  had  rushed  to  the 
cheeks  of  Belle  at  the  announcement  Amos 


THE   PROMISED   BLESSING.  109 

had  made,  but  it  faded  away  as  Miss  Hansy 
spoke. 

"Where  are  you  injured?"  said  Mr.  Heber, 
anxiously. 

"I  believe  I  sprained  my  foot  in  falling," 
said  Miss  Hansy,  feebly. 

The  ankle,  which  was  rapidly  swelling,  now 
became  very  painful,  and  Belle  began  promptly, 
under  the  direction  of  Mr.  'Heber,  to  make 

some  efforts  for  Miss   Hansy's   relief. 
10 


110  BELLE;  OR, 


CHAPTER  X. 


THE  injury  so  soon  done  was  not  so 
easily  relieved.  For  many  days  Miss  Hansy 
was  confined  to  the  sofa,  on  which  she  lay. 
Patient  as  she  was  under  her  own  sufferings, 
there  seemed  some  anxiety  on  her  mind  which 
she  could  ndt  overcome. 

She  had  frequent  private  interviews  with 
Amos,  and  even  before  Belle  she  sometimes 
gave  orders  which  evidently  were  intended  to 
promote  the  comfort  of  some  unmentioned 
person. 

That  this  nameless  one,  so  thought  of  and 
so  cared  for,  could  be  the  miserable  sin-mark 
ed  old  man  whom  she  had  seen,  Belle  could 
hardly  believe,  and  yet,  by  degrees,  this  con 
viction  was  forced  upon  her.  Who  was  he, 
-  and  what  tie  bound  the  pure  spirit  of  Miss 


THE   PROMISED  BLESSING.  Ill 

Hansy  to  such  a  being?  With  questions  like 
these  Belle,  in  vain,  wearied  herself,  but  they 
were  to  be  suddenly  and  unexpectedly  an 
swered. 

The  physician  from  Sanders  had,  on  the 
fifth  day  after  the  accident,  pronounced  Miss 
Hansy  quite  unfit  for  exertion,  and  doomed 
to  at  least  a  week  longer  of  quiet  rest.  The 
sentence  seemed  a  hard  one  to  the  patient, 
and  she  pleaded  to  be  allowed  to  go  just  a 
few  steps  every  day,  but  the  doctor  was  de 
cided  in  his  refusal.  After  his  departure,  Miss 
Hansy  fell  into  a  fit  of  silent  thought,  from 
which  Belle  did  not  feel  inclined  to  rouse  her. 
It  was  broken,  in  upon  by  a  visit  from  Mr. 
Heber,  who  had  daily  made  his  appearance 
since  the  accident,  and  had  already  commenced 
a  course  of  study  with  Belle. 

She  was  now  anxious  to  improve,  and  these 
opportunities  seemed  to  her  very  precious. 
The  hours  flew  rapidly  by,  while  she  sat  iD 
the  room  with  Miss  Hansy  preparing  her  les 
sons,  and  she  had  quite  lost  the  feeling  of 
loneliness  with  which  she  had  been  oppressed. 


112  BELLE;  OB, 

Miss  Hansy  lay  quite  still  during  Belle's 
recitation,  and,  at  times,  seemed  for  a  moment 
interested  in  what  she  had  heard,  arid  then 
the  sad,  thoughtful  look  would  again  appear 
on  her  face. 

The  lessons  over,  Mr.  Heber  turned  again 
toward  Miss  Hansy,  as .  if  he  would  know 
her  wishes.  She  understood  the  appeal,  and 
spoke  as  follows: 

"Amos  tells  me  I  am  sadly  missed — he 
sinks  for  want  of  amusement, — he  wants  to 
be  read  to,  he  wants  to  hear  a  woman's  voice, 
he  thinks  it  would  ease  his  pain.  Perhaps, 
perhaps  Belle  would  be  willing.  Tell  her  all, 
and  ask  her  if  she  will  try  for  a  day  or  two 
to  do  something  to  cheer  a  sufferer." 

Belle's  blood  tingled  at  the  very  thought. 
She  approach  that  horrid  old  man!  She 
could  not  think  of  it;  and  her  lips  opened 
to  speak  her  thoughts,  but  Mr.  Heber  drew 
her  gently  away. 

She  let  herself  be  conducted  into  the  quiet, 
unfrequented  parlor.  There  Mr.  Heber  sat 
down  beside  her,  and  was  for  a  moment 


THE  PROMISED  BLESSING.  113 

silent.  Belle  nerved  herself  to  hear  some  tale 
of  horror,  but  of  what  nature  she  could  not 
imagine. 

Mr.  Heber  began  by  describing  a  luxuri 
ous  home  in  a  distant  city,  where  a  father, 
richly  endowed  in  mind  and  body,  lived  with 
his  wife  and  baby-child.  He  told  of  the  an 
guish  of  the  devoted  wife  as  she  saw  the 
husband  she  loved  fall  a  prey  to  temptation, 
and  sink  at  last  into  hopeless  dissipation.  He 
dwelt  on  the  respectful  tenderness  of  the  wife 
towards  him  who  was  no  longer  worthy  of 
respect,  and  of  the  habits  of  filial  duty  in 
which  she  trained  her  only  child.  He  paint 
ed  the  sudden  death  of  that  mother,  and  her 
last  parting  words  to  her  daughter.  "Be 
kind,  be  patient,  be  faithful  unto  death!  Ee- 
member  he  is  thy  father!  Eemember  the 
Commandment  with  promise !" 

Belle  listened  with  wonder  and  admiration, 
and  almost  with  remorse,  as  she  heard  how 
the  young  and  attractive  girl  had  devoted 
herself  to  a  parent  so  unworthy;  how  she 

had  spent  her  best  years   in  trying  to  make 
10* 


BELLE;  OR, 

home  pleasant  to  one  on  whom  disease  was 
already  wreaking  the  punishment  for  sin.  No 
irritability,  no  tumults  of  insane  rage,  on  his 
part,  could  ruffle  her  "peace,  passing  under 
standing."  When  a  missile,  thrown  by  him 
in  a  paroxysm  of  causeless  rage,  put  out  the 
light  of  one  of  her  calm  eyes,  the  other  shed 
no  tears  for  its  loss,  but  was  lifted  in  prayer 
for  the  father  who  had  smitten  his  child. 

When  the  worldly  possessions  of  the  un 
worthy  parent  had  been  squandered,  and,  pros 
trate  with  years  and  infirmity,  he  would 
have  been  homeless  and  houseless,  she  spent 
her  little  all,  received  from  her  mother,  to 
build  for  him  a  home  in  the  country,  where 
he  could  end  his  days  in  quiet,  and  none 
would  point  at  him  as  the  wreck  of  his  for 
mer  self. 

With  the  help  of  Mr.  Heber,  the  wing  to 
this  little  •  country  house  had  been  built  and 
fitted  up  for  his  comfort,  and  hither,  in  the 
darkness  of  night,  Miss  Hansy  had  come,  with 
faithful  Amos,  to  devote  her  life  to  the  ful 
filment  of  the  Commandment  with  promise. 


THE  PROMISED  BLESSING.  115 

She  admitted  no  prying  menials  to  find  out 
the  secrets  of  her  little  sanctuary.  With  the 
help  of  humble  Anios  she  carried  on  her 
simple  establishment,  little  caring  that  the 
villagers  attributed  her  seclusion  to  a  mor 
bid  regret  for  the  loss  of  the  eye,  that  had 
left  to  her  face  the.  beauty  which  would  last 
eternally — its  pure  heavenly  expression. 

Belle  wept  as  she  listened  to  the  story 
which  Mr.  Heber  told,  with  the  earnestness 
of  one  who  knows  himself  to  be  speaking 
only  faithful  facts.  Her  tears  were  in  sym 
pathy  for  the  sufferings  of  Miss  Hansy,  and 
in  admiration  of  her  self-denying  constan 
cy — but,  mingled  with  these,  were  many  bit 
ter  ones,  as  she  thought  of  her  own  disrespect 
to  her  noble  father,  and  wilful,  inexcusable 
unkind  ness  to  her  lovely  mother.  The  lesson 
sank  deep,  and  bore  with  it  the  blessing  of 
heaven. 

"  Miss  Hansy  has  become  a  necessary  part 
of  her  father's  existence,  and,  broken  down 
as  he  is  now,  in  mind  and  body,  he  suffers 
much  from  her  absence,  and  is,  as  Amos  says, 


116  BELLE;  OR, 

and  as  I  have  seen  myself,  failing  for  lack  of 
the  sweet  music  of  his  daughter's  voice.  He 
has  quite  forgotten  the  blow  he  would  have 
dealt  her,  and  in  escaping  which  she  occa 
sioned  the  injury  from  which  she  is  now  suf 
fering.  He  calls  out  for  her  and  moans  after 
her,  like  a  child.  She  thinks  your  voice, 
which  she  has  learned  to  love,  may  soothe 
him  until  she  can  be  again  beside  him.  She 
reads  to  him  the  Bible  only,  or  hymns,  with 
which  he  was  long  ago  familiar,  by  which 
she  hopes  to  touch  some  chord  that  may 
rouse  him  to  better  things.  Will  you  try, 
Miss  Belle?  There  is  no  danger.  He  can 
not  leave  his  seat,  and  you  need  not  approach 
him." 

An  indignant  negative  rose  to  the  lips  of 
the  young  girl,  but  she  thought  of  Jesus, 
ministering  to  a  suffering,  sinful  world  ;  she 
thought  of, Miss  Hansy's  years  of  patient  de- 
votedness,  and  of  the  gentle  glance  of  her 
single  eye,  and  answered,  though  faintly,  "  I 
will." 


THE  PROMISED  BLESSING.  117 


CHAPTER  XL 

THE   DAUGHTER'S   REWARD. 

BELLE  was  not  timid ;  she  had  seldom 
known  what  it  was  to  suffer  from  embarrass 
ment,  yet  she  trembled  as  she  stood  at  the 
door  of  the  invalid's  sitting-room,  and  paus 
ed  a  moment  before  giving  a  feeble  knock. 

A  hoarse  voice  called  out,  "  come  in,"  and 
she  slowly  obeyed. 

A  nearer  view  of  the  face  which  had  made 
such  an  impression  upon  her  at  a  distance, 
did  not  take  away  from  the  hearty  dislike 
she  had  conceived,  and  she  stood  for  an  in 
stant  in  hesitation,  half-inclined  to  withdraw 
and  give  up  the  undertaking. 

"  Sit  down !"  said  the  voice,  in  a  tone  of 
command. 

Belle  mechanically  dropped  upon  the  near 
est  chair. 


118  BELLE;  OK, 

"  Amos  says  thee  will  read.  I  doubt  if 
thee  knows  how.  Begin !"  said  Mr.  Ware. 

Belle  opened  her  Bible,  and  commenced  the 
first  psalm. 

She  was  but  a  poor  reader,  at  the  best, 
and  now  her  voice  was  choked,  and  her  man 
ner  confused. 

She  was  interrupted  before  she  had  finish 
ed  the  psalm  by  an  impatient  u  psha,"  and 
the  words,  "  Shut  the  book !  I'd  rather 
hear  a  broken  hand-organ.  Can  you  sing  ?" 

Belle's  spirit  was  thoroughly  roused  by 
this  uncourteous  treatment,  and  she  answered 
boldly,  "  I  can  try  !" 

Her  voice  was  naturally  strong  and  clear, 
and  she  had  been  accustomed  to  singing  from 
childhood.  She  had  never  sung  better  than 
now,  and  her  listener  looked  at  her  with  sur 
prise  and  pleasure.  She  had  begun  the  hymn, 
"  0  where  shall  rest  be  found,"  in  no  very 
fitting  frame  of  mind,  but  as  she  went  on, 
the  sacred  words  made  their  impression  on 
hert  and  before  she  closed  there  was  an  anx 
ious  desire,  on  her  part,  to  bring  home  the 


THE  PROMISED   BLESSING.  119 

truths  of  the  hymn  to  the  heart  of  her  audi 
tor,  that  told  in  the  feeling  tones  in  which 
she  sang. 

"  Sing  again !"  said  Mr.  Ware,  in  a  more 
softened  voice. 

Belle  sang  again  and  again,  each  time 
urged  on  by  an  approving  nod.  At  last  there 
was  no  sign  from  the  old  man.  He  sat  in 
perfect  stillness,  his  eyes  closed,  and  his  clasp 
ed  hands  lying  on  his  lap.  Belle  thought  that 
he  had  fallen  into  a  quiet  sleep,  and  she  rose 
to  leave  the  room.  As  she  did  so,  she  saw 
tears  rolling  from  under  the  closed  lids,  and 
turning  away,  she  went  out  silently. 

~Day  after  day  Belle  spent  a  half-hour  in 
the  room  of  the  invalid.  It  cost  her  much 
effort  and  many  prayers  to  go  to  this  try 
ing  duty,  but  she  was  rewarded  by  a  con 
sciousness  of  her  divine  Master's  approval, 
and  by  the  sweet  kiss  of  gratitude  with  $••' 
which  Miss  Hansy  welcomed  her  on  her  re 
turn. 

To  these  visits  Miss  Hansy  kad  but  once 
alluded,  and  then,  only  by  saying,  "  My 


120  BELLE;  OR, 

mother  sang,  ok  !  so  sweetly,  but  I  have  no 
voice." 

A  week  had  passed  since  Belle's  first  in 
terview  with  Mr.  Ware,  when  she  found,  one 
morning,  on  coming  down  to  breakfast,  that 
Miss  Hansy's  place  on  the  sofa  was  vacant, 
and  she  heard  her  uncertain  footsteps,  as, 
assisted  by  Amos,  she  moved  down  the  pas 
sage  leading  to  her  father's  room. 

Amos  left  her  at  the  door,  and  Miss  Han- 
sy  entered  alone. 

'"  How  art  thou,  father  ?  I  have  been  so 
anxious  to  get  to  thee  !"  said  Miss  Hansy, 
in  her  kindest  manner. 

"Ill  enough,  Hansy,  ill  enough!  I'm  glad 
to  see  thee  back  again.  Hansy,  I  don't  want 
to  be  bad  to  thee  any  more  ;  I  don't,  indeed," 
and  the  old  man  began  to  cry.  "  Thee  has 
taken  care  of  me  many,  many  years,  and  I 
thank  thee  for  it." 

"It  has  been  a  pleasure,  father,"  said  Miss 
Hansy  earnestly,  as  she  knelt  by  his  side,  her 
face  bright  with  joy,  and  her  heart  full  of 
deep  gratitude.  Her  life  of  patient  forbearance 


THE   PROMISED   BLESSING.  121 

seemed  to  have  met  its  full  reward.  To  hear 
such  words  as  these,  seemed  to  be  too  blessed 
to  be  real. 

"  Bead,  child,"  said  the  father,  "  read." 

Miss  Hansy  did  read  words  of  peace  and 
comfort  from  the  blessed  Gospel  she  loved, 
and  her  father  really  listened. 

Miss  Hansy's  absence  had  produced  an  im 
pression  which  her  years  of  devotion  had 
failed  to  do.  What  she  had  been  to  his  daily 
life,  and  how  unworthy  he  had  been  of  such 
kindness,  made  its  way  to  the  shattered  mind 
and  dull  heart  of  her  father. 

That  heart  once  softened,  Miss  Hansy  strove 
with  redoubled  efforts  to  sow  there  the  good 
seed  that  "  springeth  up  into  eternal  life." 
As  the  months  flew  by,  the  mind  of  her  father 
grew  gradually  weaker  and  weaker ;  but  with 
the  remnants  of  its  remaining  strength  passed 
away  the  paroxysms  of  rage  and  the  wearing 
irritability,  between  which  he  had  alternated 
for  years. 

"  Helpless  and  dependent  as  a  child,  he  was 

as    submissive.      He     learned    to    obey    Miss 
11 


122  BELLE;  on, 

Hansj's  slightest  word,  and  to  look  up  to  her 
with  a  kind  of  affectionate  reverence.  No 
longer  fearful  that  he  would  disgrace  himself 
by  acts  of  violence,  Miss  Hansy  rejoiced  to 
see .  him  sitting  on  the  porch  in  the  pleasant 
summer  air,  or  being  rolled  in  his  great  chair, 
by  Amos,  up  and  down  the  wide  pavement. 
Ever  as  he  moved,  his  eyes  followed  the  fig 
ure  of  his  daughter,  and  at  each  turn  he  look 
ed  to  catch  her  kind  smile.  He  loved  to  listen 
as  she  talked  to  him,  and  the  answers  he  made 
in  his  childish  way  often  filled  her  heart  with 
hope. 

She  had  been  pointing  out  the  gilded  clouds 
on  a  summer  evening,  and  telling  him  that 
the  glory  of  the  western  sky  was  not  half  as 
beautiful  as  the  brightness  of  heaven,  where 
Jesus  would  be  with  those  that  love  Him. 

"  I  don't  think  I'm  fit  to  go  there,  some 
how  ;  I  can't  remember  why,"  said  the  old 
man,  sorrowfully.  "  You'll  go,  I  know,  Hansy, 
and  then  what  will  become  of  me  ?"  he  added, 
and  then  sobbed  like  a  child. 

"We  are  none  of  us  fit  to  go  to  heaven," 


THE   PROMISED   BLESSING.  123 

said  Miss  Hansy,  speaking  very  slowly,  as  if 
she  wished  to  be  sure  of  being  understood. 
"Jesus  suffered  for  us.  He  suffered  that  we 
might  be  happy.  If  we  are  sorry  for  what 
we  have  done,  and  trust  Jesus,  and  try  to 
love  Him,  we  shall  be  forgiven  for  all  that 
is  past,  and  made  welcome  in  heaven." 

"  I  am  sure  I  am  very  sorry,"  said  the  old 
man  weakly.  "  I  want  to  love  Jesus,  you 
talk  so  much  about  ;  but  somehow  I  can't 
think" and  he  put  his  hand  to  his  troub 
led  head. 

"If  you  really  want  to  love  Jesus,  He  will 
help  you,  father,"  said  Miss  Hansy,  tenderly. 
"Don't  try  too  hard  to  think  about  it,  but 
just  let  yourself  love  Him." 

"  I  do  want  to,"  said  the  poor  father.  "  Per 
haps  in  heaven  it  will  all  be  clear  again; 
but,  no !  I  don't  want  to  remember.  No,  no ! 
It's  all  bad !  You  love  me,  Hansy,  don't 
you  ?" 

"  Yes,  yes !  dear  father,  I  do !"  said  Miss 
Hansy,  warmly  and  truly. 

"Perhaps  Jesus  will  love  me  too,  if  He  is 


124  BELLE;  OR, 

so  good ;"  and  the  old  man  looked  up  with 
a  bright  smile. 

Miss  Hansy's  heart  was  too  full  of  hope 
and  thanksgiving  for  her  to  speak  one  word, 
but  her  face  beamed  a  reply. 

In  his  weakness  and  darkness  the  poor 
old  man  seemed  to  grope  after  the  hand  of 
his  Saviour,  led  by  his  daughter's  voice  and 
accompanied  by  her  prayers. 

We  may  not  know  the  secrets  of  the  eter 
nal  world ;  but  God  loves  to  hear  the  prayers 
of  those  who  keep  His  commandments  and 
continue  in  His  love ;  and  we  may  hope  that 
a  blessing  was  poured  out  on  the  unworthy 
father,  in  answer  to  the  life-long  petition  of 
the  daughter,  who  lived  near  to  Grod  and  kept 
His  Commandment  with  promise. 


THE  PKOMISED  BLESSING.  125 


CHAPTER   XII. 

SUNDAY      SCHOLARS. 

SEED-time  and  harvest  had  passed  away, 
and  autumn  tints  began  here  and  there  to 
brighten  the  forest  trees,  and  make  gay  the 
wild  vines  in  the  hedges. 

While  the  busy  farmers  had  cared  for  the 
tender  blade,  watched  the  ripening  grain,  and 
gathered  the  fruits  of  toil  into  their  store 
houses,  Belle  Cortlandt  had  not  been  idle. 
For  her  the  summer  had  been  a  season  of 
real  spiritual  growth,  and  of  walling  exertion 
in  her  Master's  cause.  She  had  struggled 
faithfully  to  bring  her  strong  will  into  obedi 
ence  to  the  law  of  Christ,  and  had  rejoiced  at 
each  sign  of  self-conquest.  She  had  aided  Miss 
Hansy  in  her  ministry  of  love  to  her  weak 
and  humbled  parent,  and  had  labored  earnest 
ly  for  the  best  good  of  the  little  girls  who 
11* 


126  BELLE;  OR, 

formed  her  Sunday-school  class.  Reluctant  as 
she  had  been  at  first  to  take  upon  herself  the 
office  of  a  teacher,  she  soon  felt  great  pleas 
ure  in  her  new  duties.  The  children  entrusted 
to  her  care  were  poor  and  ignorant,  and  she 
found  that,  unworthy  as  she  was,  she  could  yet 
be  of  great  service  to  them.  Among  the  little 
circle  who  met  her  so  warmly  every  Sunday 
morning,  no  face  brightened  with  a  sweeter 
smile  than  that  of  little  Jany,  whose  cheeks 
were  now  somewhat  rounded  by  the  plenty  of 
Tilden  farm,  and  yet  a  look  of  sorrow  still 
lingered  on  her  delicate  features. 

It  was  one  of  Mr.  Heber's  rules  that  the 
teachers  in  his  Sunday  School  should  visit 
each  scholar  at  home  once  a  month,  and 
from  this  practice,  faithfully  adhered  to,  he 
had  seen  much  good  flow. 

To  Belle,  these  visits  were  at  first  exceed 
ingly  trying.  Several  of  her  children  lived 
near  a  factory,  a  mile  beyond  Sanders,  and 
it  cost  Belle  a  great  effort  to  find  her  way  to 
their  homes.  Her  frank,  kindly  manner  soon 
won  her  a  welcome  among  them,  and  she 


THE   PKOMISED   BLESSING.  127 

was  often  amused  at  the  free,  familiar  way  in 
which  she  was  treated,  and  at  the  apparent 
satisfaction  taken  in  her  visits.  She  tried  to 
make  her  conversation  useful  to  the  mothers 
of  the  children  under  her  charge,  but  often 
she  was  forced  to  take  leave  with  the  con 
viction  of  failure  on  her  mind.  It  was  as 
Jany's  Sunday-school  teacher  that  Belle  first 
made  her  appearance  at  Tilden  farm.  She 
was  cordially  greeted,  and  at  once  made  at 
home.  She  soon  found  that  here  she  became 
a  learner,  and  she  felt  that  the  position  suited 
her  well.  There  was  a  hearty  sincerity  in 
Mrs.  Tilden's  piety,  a  matter-of-fact,  confident 
belief  in  spiritual  things,  that  was  a  great 
help  to  Belle.  She  never  left  Tilden  farm 
without  being  better  able  to  realize  the  con 
tinual  presence  of  God  as  a  loving  friend, 
and  the  certainty  of  the  heaven  in  store  'for 
His  children,  through  Christ. 

It  became  a  custom  with  Belle  to  finish 
the  afternoon  spent  in  visiting  her  scholars 
by  taking  tea  at  Tilden  farm.  On  these  oc 
casions  little  Jany  never  forgot  that  the  visit 


128  BELLE;  OR, 

was  especially  to  her,  and  she  felt  privileged 
to  keep  close  to  the  side  of  her  teacher  and 
give  her  an  occasional  caress,  which  she 
might  not  otherwise  have  dared  to  offer.  Mrs. 
Tilden  encouraged  this  freedom,  and  seldom 
failed  to  manage  to  leave  Belle  a  few  mo 
ments  alone  with  her  pupil  that  she  might 
have  an  opportunity  of  winning  her  confi 
dence,  and  giving  her  a  word  of  advice. 

It  was  a  bright  afternoon  early  in  October. 
Belle  had  started  out  full  of  energy,  and  in 
tent  on  doing  good.  She  really  enjoyed  the 
long  walk  across  the  fields,  between  Miss 
Ware's  quiet  home  and  the  bustling  vicinity 
of  the  factory. 

She  had  not  now  to  seek  out  the  humble 
dwellings  of  her  little  charge;  to  them  she 
easily  made  her  way  as  to  a  familiar  spot. 
There  was  no  lack  of  cordiality  in  the  greet 
ing  she  received.  The  children  gathered 
round  her,  and  the  stout  mothers  sat  down 
by  her  side  and  told  her  freely  of  their  cares 
and  interests. 

One  had  a  son  so   wild   and    troublesome, 


THE   PROMISED   BLESSING.  129 

that,  to  use  the  mother's  own  words,  "He 
almost  set  her  crazy,"  and  she  wanted  to 
know  what  she  should  do  with  him. 

Another  was  tired  with  a  leaky  roof  which 
the  landlord  was  in  vain  implored  to  mend. 

A  third,  by  her  own  account,  was  a  victim 
to  every  disease  and  pain  under  the  skies, 
and  could'  find  no  relief  but  in  "a  bit  of 
whiskey  now  and  then,  or  some  sich  like,  jist 
to  ease  the  misery." 

Belle  tried  to  advise  and  comfort  to  the 
best  of  her  ability,  but  she  felt  young  and 
inexperienced  before  the  assurance  and  vol 
ubility  of  her  humble  friends.  She  tried 
to  think  of  some  way  of  giving  an  improv 
ing  turn  to  the  conversation — some  way  of 
bringing  the  great  Friend  of  the  poor,  and 
the  only  eternal  riches,  before  their  minds; 
but  no  words  came,  her  brain  seemed  barren 
and  her  mouth  dry. 

Belle  was  too  young  in  the  religious  life 
to  have  words  of  spiritual  counsel  flow  freely 
from  her  lips.  It  was  yet  only  by  constant 
effort  that  she  was  able  to  keep  before  her, 


130  BELLE;  OR, 

in  any  measure,  the  truths  in  which  she  be 
lieved.  It  is  only  those  who  have  learned  to 
live  with  Christ  as  with  a  familiar  friend,  and 
who  are  in  the  constant  habit  of  communion 
with  Him,  who  can  so  speak  of  him  natur 
ally  and  conscientiously,  and  fix  the  attention 
of  those  to  whom  He  is  still  a  stranger.  Belle 
did  not  know  this  fact,  and,  sure  of  her  own 
anxious  desire  to  be  useful,  she  wondered  at 
the  constraint  which  kept  her  silent  when 
she  would  have  borne  the  message  of  love. 

Somewhat  disheartened,  she  closed  the  last 
visit  she  had  to  pay  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
factory,  and  turned  her  steps  towards  Tilden 
farm. 

'Once  beyond  the  smoke,  and  dust,  and  stir 
every  where  around  the  tall  chimneys  that 
made  work  for  so  many  men,  her  spirits  began 
to  revive.  In  the  green  fields  again,  she 
could  realize  the  presence  of  the  Father  of  all, 
and  she  felt  that  if  she  had  the  children  there, 
she  should  not  be  so  shy  of  naming  the  best 
of  subjects,  and  she  even  thought  that  under 
the  blue  skies  she  might  have  spoken  to  the 


THE  PROMISED  BLESSING.  131 

talkative  mother,  of  that  world  where  sorrow 
and  care  never  come. 

Still  dissatisfied  with  herself,  though  some 
what  soothed  by  the  sweet  and  holy  influ 
ence  God  has  given  to  nature,  she  drew  near 
to  the  gate  that  marked  the  entrance  to  Til- 
den  farm. 

She  did  not  need  to  lift  the  heavy  latch,  or 
throw  open  the  wide  gate.  A  loving  hand, 
if  not  a  strong  one,  made  her  entrance  easy. 
Little  Jany  had  been  watching  for  a  half 
hour  for  the  pleasure  of  letting  her  in,  and 
that  duty  once  performed,  she  slipped  her 
hand  into  Belle's  and  walked  by  her  side, 
the  very  picture  of  quiet  content. 

"How  pleasant  it  always  is  here!"  said 
Belle,  as  they  moved  along  the  lane  under 
the  wide-spreading  maples.  "  It  seems  to  me,  I 
feel  happier  as  soon  as  I  step  inside  that  gate." 

"And  I  am  so  glad  when  you  come,"  said 
Jany  in  her  quiet  way.  "And — and  I  want 
so  much  to  thank  you." 

"Thank  me!"  said  Belle,  smiling.  "What 
for,  Jany?" 


132  BELLE;  OR, 

"Oh,  I  should  wish  to  lie  down  and  die 
sometimes,  like  poor  mother,  if  I  did  not  think 
about  what  you  have  taught  me,"  said  Jany, 
half  crying. 

"  Why,  Jany  I"  said  Belle,  "  I  thought  you 
were  very  happy;  I  am  sure  you  ought  to  be 
in  such  a  pleasant  home." 

"  I  can't  forget  about  poor  mother,  and 
father,  far  away  on  the  sea,"  said  little  Jany, 
dropping  down  on  a  great  stone,  and  sob 
bing  as  if  her  heart  would  break.  "  Every 
body  is  kind,  even  the  boys,  though  they  do 
play  so  rough  sometimes.  Everybody  is 
kind,  but  there  are  so  many  here,  and  all  so 
very  happy,  and  I  try  to  be  happy  too,  and 
I  do  laugh,  sometimes,  and  then  I  go  away 
and  cry  all  by  myself.  I  think  I  should 
quite  give  up  then,  if  I  did  not  think  about 
the  beautiful  heaven  you  tell  of,  and  the 
dear  Lord  Jesus  who  loves  little  children. 
Dear  Miss  Belle,  do  you  think  He  loves 
me  ?  If  I  was  quite  sure  of  that,  I  would 
not  mind." 

Belle  put    her    arm    round    the  little  girl, 


THE   PROMISED   BLESSING.  133 

and  said,  very  tenderly,  "Jany,  Jesus  cares 
even  for  those  who  do  not  care  for  Him,  and 
I  am  sure  He  loves  you,  if  you  want  to  love 
Him." 

"I  do  love  Him,"  said  the  child,  earnestly. 
"I  do,  and  I  hope  to  go  to  Him  some  day. 
When  I  am  very  patient,  and  cheerful,  I 
don't  mind  ;  but,  Miss  Belle,  I  feel  so  heavy 
sometimes,  that  I  must  just  sit  down  and 
cry,  and  then  I  think  perhaps  Jesus  is  angry 
with  me,  and  then  I  feel  more  sorry,  and  cry 
more." 

"Jesus  wept  himself,  Jany.  He  cried  to 
think  of  the  wicked  city,  Jerusalem,  that 
would  have  to  be  punished,  and  He  cried 
when  He  saw  Martha  and  Mary  so  sorrow 
ful  at  the  grave  of  Lazarus,  their  brother. 
He  will  not  be  angry  with  your  tears,  little 
Jany ;  but  if  you  think  more  about  Him,  and 
how  He  is  always  with  you,  and  how  He 
has  taken  your  mother  to  His  happy  world, 
you  will  not  be  so  sorrowful.  Will  you  try, 
darling  ?" 

"I  will,    Miss    Belle,"    said   Jany,    in    her 
12 


134  BELLE;  OB, 

usual  quiet  way,  "  I  will.  I  did  not  mean 
to  tell  you  all,  but  somehow  it  all  came  out, 
just  when  I  went  to  thank  you.  You  are  so 
very  kind  to  me." 

"  And  you  are  a  great  comfort  to  me, 
Jany,"  said  Belle,  affectionately.  "Just  this 
very  afternoon,  I  was  thinking,  I  was  of  no 
use  to  any  one,  and  that  I  could  not  make 
any  one  wish  to  do  right,  even  if  I  tried." 

"  Oh,  Miss  Belle  I"  said  Jany,  her  eyes  full 
of  astonishment.  "  Don't  say  such  a  word  as 
that ;  the  scholars  all  love  you,  and  try  to 
do  as  you  say.  Poor  Becky  White,  who  was 
so  bad,  says  she  never  goes  to  bed  now 
that  she  does  not  ask  the  Lord  Jesus  to 
make  her  a  better  girl;  and  that  I  know 
will  please  you." 

Belle's  heart  was  too  full  to  answer  ;  she 
pressed  little  Jany's  hand,  and  they  walked 
on  in  silence.  Belle  felt  humbled,  yet  grate 
ful,  to  find  her  poor  efforts  in  her  Master's 
cause  were  not  in  vain,  that  the  seed  sown 
in  weakness  was  winning  a  blessing  from  the 
Lord  of  the  harvest. 


THE  PROMISED  BLESSING.  185 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

TILDEN     FARM. 

WHEN  Belle  reached  the  house,  the  wide 
porch  was  full  of  young  faces  ready  to  wel 
come  her,  and,  standing  on  the  steps,  was 
Mrs.  Tilden,  with  outstretched  hands. 

"  We  were  afraid  you  were  not  coming," 
said  Johnny,  pressing  forward,  "  and  then 
we  might  as  well  have  had  no  supper  at  all." 

"  Supper !"  said  Belle,  "am  I  so  late  as 
that?"  as  through  the  open  door  she  saw 
the  long  table  spread  with  the  usual  profu 
sion  of  good  cheer,  and  evidently  awaiting 
her  arrival. 

"  Better  late  than  never  !"  said  Mrs.  Til- 
den,  heartily.  "  He's  just  come  in,  so  you 
are  not  much  out  of  the  way  after  all." 

It  took  a  little  preliminary  washing  and 
brushing  before  Mr.  Tilden  was  ready  to 


136  BELLE;  OR, 

give  his  guest  a  welcome,  and  to  sit  down 
at  his  table,  like  Jacob  of  old,  with  his 
twelve  about  him.  That  Jacob's  God  was  his 
Friend  and  Father,  no  one  could  doubt  who 
heard  the  simple,  solemn  words  of  prayer  and 
thanksgiving  which  he  uttered  before  sitting 
down  to  his  evening  meal.  Little  Johnny's 
lips  moved,  and  almost  unconsciously  his 
young  voice  kept  his  father's  company,  while 
the  rest,  even  to  the  youngest,  seemed  to  join 
him  in  silence. 

The  blessing  over,  the  children  quietly 
took  their  places,  and  put  on  for  themselves, 
and  for  each  other,  pinafores,  white  as  snow, 
and  evidently  fresh  for  the  occasion. 

"Bring  baby,"  said  Mr.  Tilden  to  Susy, 
who  was  in  attendance. 

The  "  wee  helpless  thing"  poor  Nanny 
had  left  to  the  care  of  strangers  was  now 
a-  hearty  child,  more  than  six  months  old, 
and  beginning,  by  its  pretty  winning  ways,  to 
give  some  return  for  the  tender  care  it  had 
received. 

While  Susy  was  taking  the  baby  from  its 


THE   PKOMISED  BLESSING.  137 

cradle,  where  it  quietly  lay,  though  wide 
awake,  Mr.  Tilden  occupied  himself  in  pre 
paring  the  bowl  of  bread  and  milk,  which 
he  thought  a  judicious  supper  for  the  child. 
Mr.  Tilden  would  rather  have  gone  hungry 
to  bed,  after  a  heavy  day's  labor,  than  to 
have  taken  his  own  food  before  he  had  satis 
fied  the  child  of  his  adoption. 

Mrs.  Tilden  thought,  sometimes,  this  pro 
ceeding  broke  in  somewhat  upon  her  ideas 
of  order  and  regularity  at  meals,  but  she 
consoled  herself  by  saying,  "  It's  his  notion, 
he  ought  to  have  his  way  in  his  own  house." 

In  fact,  it  soon  became  a  pleasant  sight  to 
her  to  see  the  strong-built,  kindly -looking  man 
feeding  the  poor  infant  so  carefully,  and 
smacking  his  lips  at  every  mouthful  she 
swallowed,  as  if  it  did  him  more  good  than 
it  could  possibly  do  the  child.  Mrs.  Tilden 
did  not  think  her  husband's  course  with  re 
gard  to  the  diet  of  the  baby  altogether  judi 
cious,  but  she  forebore  discussion,  and  saw 
with  wonder  that  little  Nan  thrived  and  grew 

fat,   in   spite  (or  in  consequence)   of  the  liber- 
12* 


138  BELLE;  OR, 

al  allowance  of  good  cheer  bestowed  on  her 
by  her  foster  father. 

"God  bless  the  baby!"  said  Mr.  Tilden, 
heartily,  as  he  restored  her,  satisfied  and 
smiling,  to  Susan,  to  be  replaced  in  the  cra 
dle,  while  the  knives  and  forks  kept  on  their 
busy  work  at  the  table. 

Belle  was  no  epicure,  and  her  simple  ap 
petite  of  youth  and  health  was  always  satis 
fied  with  the  plain  and  almost  uniform  fare 
of  Miss  Hansy ;  yet,  it  must  be  confessed 
that  she  thoroughly  enjoyed  Mrs.  Tilden's 
good  cheer,  and  did  ample  justice  to  it.  She 
loved  to  ,see  the  happy  faces  round  the  ta 
ble,  and  to  hear  the  kind,  motherly  words 
and  respectful  answers  coming  and  going. 

These  monthly  visits  were  Belle's  only 
glimpses  at  family  life,  and  they  were  very 
precious  to  her. 

After  supper  the  children  scattered  away, 
some  to  the  orchard  in  search  of  choice  ap 
ples  to  fill  the  bag  that  was  sure  to  be  ready 
for  Amos,  when  he  came  for  Belle  in  the 
evening ;  and  some  to  finish  their  various 


THE   PROMISED   BLESSING.  139 

tasks  for  the  day.  Mr.  Tilden  withdrew  to 
the  porch  and  sat  in  quiet  content,  looking 
on  the  scene,  while  his  wife  busied  herself 
about  the  table,  and  Belle  sat  and  watched 
her  active  hand,  and  lent  her  some  slight  as 
sistance. 

"  How  busy  you  always  are,  Mrs.  Tilden," 
said  Belle ;  "  I  wonder  that  you  can  ever  think 
about  any  thing  but  this  world  and  all  you 
have  to  do  in  it." 

"That  same  thing  gave  me  a  great  deal  of 
trouble  when  I  was  first  a  mother  and  a 
housekeeper,"  said  Mrs.  Tilden.  "  Though  I 
had  such  a  little  family  then,  it  seemed  to 
take  me  all  my  time  to  keep  things  in  order, 
and  I  could  hardly  get  a  moment'  to  read  my 
Bible  and  fall  on  my  knees ;  I  really  got 
quite  unhappy  about  it,  thinking  I  was  just 
a  'mother,'  and  nothing  better,  'cumbered 
with  much  serving,'  instead  of  sitting  at  the 
feet  of  Jesus ;  and  yet  I  did  not  know  how  to 
do  my  duty,  and  make  the  matter  any  bet 
ter.  One  day  he  came  in,  and  found  me 
looking  just  as  I  felt,  all  troubled  and  flus- 


14:0  BELLE;  OR, 

tered,  and  just  ready  to  cry,  because  I  had  so 
much  on  my  hands  that  I  really  could  not 
stop  for  any  thing  that  was  good.  I  just 
burst  out  crying,  (I  was  young  then,)  and  I 
told  him  all  about  it.  Then  he  explained  to 
me,  in  his  own  way,  how,  when  the  Lord 
Jesus  was  here  on  earth,  those  who  wanted 
to  hear  His  holy  words  must  leave  all  their 
earthly  business  and  sit  at  His  feet,  but  that 
would  not  do  for  Christians  every  where  and 
always,  so  there  was  a  better  way — 'Now,' 
says  he,  'Jesus  is  not  in  any  one  house  or 
any  one  room  only,  but  all  may  be  •"  diligent 
in  business,"  and  yet  have  the  Lord  with 
them.  Think  of  that,  dear,'  said  he,  'and 
then  you  will  do  Martha's  work  with  Mary's 
spirit.'  Those  words  did  me  a  great  deal  of 
good;  and  now  it  seems  quite  natural  to  be 
working,  with  the  Lord's  eye  on  me  every 
where.  But,  Miss  Belle,  while  I  have  kept 
you  here  talking,  there's  Johnny  waiting  out 
side  with  a  big  apple  in  his  hand,  that  I  am 
sure  he  means  for  Miss  Ware." 

The  mother  was  right;   Johnny  wanted  to 


THE   PROMISED  BLESSING.  141 

give  particular  directions  that  no  one  but  Miss 
Hansy  should  have  the  beauty  of  the  orchard 
he  had  chosen  with  such  care. 

Meanwhile,  the  other  boys  had  filled  the 
bag  which  little  Jack  was  making  a  great 
show  of  lifting,  as  three  or  four  of  them  bore 
it  along. 

"  Come,"  said  Johnny,  "  let  us  put  it  on 
the  wheelbarrow,  and  take  it  down  to  the 
gate,  and  that  will  save  old  Amos  some 
thing." 

The  proposal  was  heartily  agreed  upon,  and 
the  boys  set  off  in  high  glee,  Johnny  acting 
as  grand  marshal,  though  it  must  be  confessed 
the  labor  fell  on  the  older  boys.  It  was  all 
their  own  fault,  for  they  would  have  it  so, 
and  little  Johnny  was  not  to  blame. 

"Amos  has  gone  off  with  the  apples  and 
left  you,  Miss  Belle,"  said  Johnny,  as,  after  a 
short  absence,  he  re-entered  the  porch,  all  out 
of  breath  with  the  run  he  had  had. 

"Gone  and  left  me!"  said  Belle,  starting  up 
with  astonishment;  "What  can  that  mean?" 
She  caught  up  her  bonnet  and  shawl,  and 


142  BELLE;  OK, 

said  hastily,  "  Then  I  must  go  as  soon  as 
possible,  and  some  of  you,  boys,  will  have  to 
take  Arnos's  place." 

"  Ho,  indeed !"  said  Johnny,  with  a  merry 
laugh.  "Look,  Miss  Belle!" 

Belle  did  look,  and  saw  her  own  father 
stepping  up  on  the  wide  porch,  his  little  es 
cort  of  boys  having  fallen  back,  to  let  him 
meet  his  daughter  alone. 

Belle  threw  herself  on  her  father's  neck 
and  wept  violently,  while  he  was  little  less 
moved  than  herself. 

It  was  no  time  for  an  open  expression  of 
feeling,  but  each  knew  what  the  other  would 
say,  and  Belle  felt  that  the  kiss  which  her 
father  bestowed  on  her  was  the  seal  of  his 
perfect  forgiveness,  and  her  heart  was  full  of 
deep  joy. 

Mr.  Cortlandt  needed  no  introduction  to  the 
cheerful .  circle  at  Tilden  farm,  for  Belle's  fre 
quent  letters  had  made  him  thoroughly  ac 
quainted  with  each  member  of  the  family, 
from  the  kind-hearted  father  to  little  Nan,  the 
pet  of  the  house.  He  was  soon  quite  at 


THE   PROMISED   BLESSING.  143 

home  among  them,  and  all  felt  it  a  privilege 
to  listen  to  his  wonderful  tales  of  foreign 
lands,  where  Jesus  is  not  known;  and  several 
of  the  young  lads,  among  whom  was  our 
friend  Johnny,  mentally  resolved  to  do  some 
thing  more  to  earn  money  for  the  mission 
aries,  who  were  willing  to  go  among  these 
poor,  ignorant  people,  and  teach  them  the  way 
of  truth. 

Jany  felt  particularly  honored  when  Mr. 
Cortlandt  drew  her  tenderly  to  his  side,  and 
told  her  she  was  almost  like  a  little  grand 
daughter  to  him,  since  Belle  had  taken  so 
much  interest  in  her.  Little  Jany's  face  was 
very  bright  all  the  evening,  but  it  was  sud 
denly  overshadowed,  when  Mr.  Cortlandt  rose 
and  said,  "  It  was  time  for  his  pleasant  visit  to 
be  over." 

Several  of  the  children  sprang  to  get  Belle's 
bonnet  and  shawl,  but  Johnny  was  successful 
in  the  race,  and  bore  them  back  in  triumph. 

"Won't  you  stop  for  the  coming  hymn?" 
said  Johnny  in  a  low  voice,  as  Belle  stooped 
to  take  the  things  from  him.  "  Oh,  yes  !"  said 


BELLE;  OR, 

Belle,  "  I  am  sure  father  would  like  it."  Mr. 
Cortlandt  did  indeed  enjoy  the  hymn  of  praise 
in  which  the  whole  family  joined  with  real 
heartiness  and  much  taste.  Mr.  Cortlandt  lent 
his  aid,  and  Belle's  voice,  too,  was  heard  with 
deep  feeling  in  its  sweet  clear  tones.  After 
the  hymn,  there  was  a  general  shaking  of 
hands,  and  then  Belle  and  her  father  set  out 
for  their  long  walk. 

Many,  many  inquiries  Belle  had  to  make 
about  matters  at  home,  and  much  she  heard 
which  could  not  be  crowded  even  into  the 
long  and  frequent  letters  she  had  received. 
She  asked  all  questions,  and  approached  all 
subjects  freely,  but  one,  and  that  was  almost 
constantly  on  her  'mind.  At  last  her  father 
himself  named  the  subject  of  her  thoughts. 

"  Belle,"  he  said,  "  your  mother  is  most 
anxious  to  have  you  at  home  again,  and  Willy 
says  he  really  pines  for  your  society.  I  need 
not  say  how  I  should  love  to  have  you  with 
us  once  more.  Will  you  go  home  with  me 
now,  or  wait  until  a  few  months  later  ?  Do 
you  think  you  are  sufficiently  established  in 


THE   PROMISED   BLESSING.  145 

your  new  principles  to  meet  old  temptations, 
and  the  power  of  old  habits,  which  you  know 
is  very  strong  ?  If  you  feel  that  it  is  safe  to 
make  the  experiment,  most  gladly  shall  I  take 
you  with  me.  Remember,  that  a  failure  in  duty 
now  will  give  you  real  remorse  and  a  bitter 
ness  of  self-reproach  of  which  you,  perhaps, 
have  no  idea.  You  need  not  decide  now,"  he 
added,  as  they  drew  near  the  house.  "  You 
shall  tell  me  your  choice  in  the  morning. 
Meanwhile,  be  sure  that  your  father  feels 
that  you  are  as  welcome  to  his  home  as  to 
his  heart,  and  that  he  does  not  doubt  the  deep 
sincerity  of  your  new  resolutions." 

Miss  Hansy  was  waiting  in  the  now  occupied 
parlor,  when  they  entered  the  house.  She 
was  a  little  surprised  to  find  Belle  grave  and 
thoughtful,  instead  of  radiant  with  joy  at  her 
father's  return ;  but  she  prudently  forbore  re 
marking  on  the  subject. 

Mr.  Cortlandt  immediately  led  the  con 
versation  to  the  family  at  Tilden  farm,  with 
whom  he  had  been  charmed. 

"There  seems  such  a  tone  of  cheerfulness 
13 


146  BELLE;  OK, 

\ 

and  unaffected  piety  there,  that  it  is  really 
delightful,"  he  said.  "But  your  pet  Jany, 
Belle,  she  does,  not  look  quite  happy." 

"  She  feels  the  loss  of  her  mother  deeply 
yet,"  said  Belle.  "  Knowing  such  sorrow  so 
early  seems  to  have  made  a  deep  impression 
upon  her,  and  I  think  she  finds  it  hard  to 
keep  up  with  the  cheerful,  busy  spirit  at  Til- 
den  farm.  She  is  a  dear  child,  and  tries  hard 
to  be  bright  and  uncomplaining,  and  is  very 
grateful  for  the  kindness  shown  her." 

"A  more  quiet  home  would  suit  her  bet 
ter,"  said  Mr.  Cortlandt,  thoughtfully.  "She 
is  hardly  fit  to  stand  the  rough-and-tumble 
among  such  a  family  of  hearty,  healthy  young 
sters,  who  do  not  mind  a  little  rough  play, 
I  dare  say." 

"  No,  indeed !"  said  Belle,  "  they  make  what 
seems  to  me  a  perfect  bedlam  sometimes  ;  but 
a  word  from  Mrs.  Tilden  quiets  them  in  a  mo 
ment.  I  love  to  hear  them  even  say  '  mother,' 
they  have  such  a  way  of  speaking  the  word." 

Here  Belle  fell  into  another  quiet  fit,  and 


THE  PKOMISED  BLESSING.  147 

Mr.  Cortlandt  again  thought  it  best  to  take 
the  lead  in  conversation. 

"How  is  it,  Hansy,"  he  said,  "that  you 
have  kept  up  your  Quaker  thee  and  thou,  and 
that  plain  cap,  too,  when  you  have  so  long 
been  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  Church  ?" 

"  I  lead  such  a  quiet  life,"  said  Miss  Hansy, 
smiling,  "that  it  is  of  very  little  consequence 
how  I  dress  at  home,  and  then  I  seldom  speak 
to  any  strangers  who  would  take  note  of  an 
occasional  thee,  which  I  use  from  habit.  "When 
I  go  to  church,  which  cannot  be  very  often,  I 
wear  a  bonnet  about  which  nobody  in  our 
plain  congregation  would  ask  any  questions ;  I 
don't  ihink  even  you  could  tell  what  to  call  it, 
if  you  wanted  to  buy  a  match  to  it  for  Mary 
Cortlandt.  But  seriously,  Harry,  I  believe  I 
love  to  wear  this  cap  and  speak  the  plain  lan 
guage,  because  my  mother  always  did,  and  I 
know  it  is  pleasant  to  my  father." 

"  I  did  not  think  Mr.  Ware  would  have 
recognized  me,  it  is  so  many  years  since  we 
met,  yet  he  called  me  by  name  almost  imme 
diately." 


148  BELLE;  OK, 

"Yes,"  said  Miss  Hansy,  brightening,  "and 
he  seemed  so  much  pleased  to  see  you.  '  Tell 
Harry  I  shall  want  to  see  him  in  the  morning,' 
were  his  last  words  before  bidding  me  good 
night." 

"Speaking  of  bidding  'good-night,'  that  is 
just  what  we  ought  to  be  doing,"  said  Mr. 
Cortlandt;  "I  have  a  busy  day  before  me  to 
morrow  ;  among  other  things,  Belle,  I  am  to 
go  among  your  factory  people,  so  we  must  not 
sit  here  chatting  any  longer." 

Yery  sweet  to  Belle  was  Miss  Hansy's  affec 
tionate  kiss  at  parting ;  but  sweeter  were  her 
father's  embrace  and  his  fervent  blessing. 


THE   PROMISED   BLESSING.  149 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

LITTLE    JANY. 

As  the  months  had  passed  rapidly  by, 
Belle  had  become  more  and  more  sensible 
of  the  deep  guilt  of  the  fault  which  she  had 
allowed  herself  so  constantly  and  so  thought 
lessly  to  commit,  and  which  had  finally  led 
to  her  expulsion  from  the  home  she  really 
loved.  By  her  daily  study  of  the  Scriptures 
this  impression  was,  in  a  great  measure,  pro 
duced.  The  burning  words  of  condemnation 
and  the  fearful  threatenings  there  written 
down  against  the  undutiful,  unnatural  child, 
went  home  to  her  heart,  like  pointed  arrows 
from  a  skilful  archer. 

Even  for  these  wounds  there  was  balm  in 
Gilead,  comfort  in  the  Word  of  God.  There 
she  read  of  the  welcome  of  the  repentant 

prodigal,    and    of    the    strength    promised    to 
13* 


150  BELLE;  OK, 

all  those  who  struggle  against  a  besetting 
sin,  in  the  name  of  Jesus. 

After  much  thought  over  her  sad  misdo 
ings  in  former  days,  and  many  prayers,  Belle 
decided  upon  her  course  in  reference  to  her 
father's  proposal.  Her  decision  once  made, 
her  natural  cheerfulness  returned,  and  even 
buoyant  with  gladness  she  went  down  to  the 
breakfast  table. 

Miss  Hansy,  as  usual,  was  with  her  father, 
and  Belle  and  Mr.  Cortlandt  were  tete-a- 
tete. 

"  Well,  my  daughter,"  said  the  father,  af 
ter  bidding  her  good-morning,  "  am  I  to  take 
you  with  me  to-morrow  ?" 

"  Father,"  said  Belle,  her  eyes  filling  unex 
pectedly  with  tears,  "  father,  I  may  do  wrong 
again,  but  I  will  try  and  trust  in  Grod  to 
help  me.  Life  is  uncertain,  and  if  I  put  off 
my  return,  I  may  never  have  an  opportunity 
to  be  what  I  ought  to  you  and  dear  mother. 
This  thought  decides  me,  and  then  I  do  so 
want  to  be  with  you  all  again.  May  I  go  ?" 

"  Yes  !      I    say  yes,  with    all    my  heart !" 


THE   PROMISED   BLESSING.  151 

said  the  father,  warmly,  nor  did  he  add  one 
discouraging  word  to  check  the  joy  that 
shone  through  the  tears  of  his  daughter. 

When  Miss  Hansy  came  in,  after  break 
fast,  she  was  heartily  sorry  to  hear  how  soon 
she  was  to  part  with  her  young  friend,  and 
Belle  felt  real  pleasure  at  the  sincere  expres 
sions  of  attachment  which  Miss  Hansy  let 
fall  in  her  surprise. 

"I  do  not  think  I  can  get  on  without 
some  young  person  here  now,"  said  Miss 
Hansy.  "  Belle,  how  shall  we  make  your 
place  good  ?  Father  will  so  miss  your  sing- 
ing." 

Belle's  face  grew  suddenly  bright,  as  with 
an  idea  that  pleased  her.  "  Jany  has  a  sweet 
little  voice  of  her  own,  Miss  Hansy.  Father, 
how  would  that  do?"  she  said  with  much 
animation. 

"I  think  you  would  like,  Hansy,  to  take 
the  motherless  child  to  your  heart.  She 
needs  more  fostering  care  than  she  can  get 
where  she  is  one  of  twelve,"  said  Mr.  Cort- 
landt. 


152 

"  I  am  afraid  the  little  thing  would  be 
lonely  here,  and  yet  my  heart  yearns  to 
wards  her,"  said  Miss  Hansy. 

"  You  might  at  least  try  it  for  awhile,"  said 
Belle.  "  I  think  Jany  would  be  happier  here, 
with  you,  than  she  is  among  so  many." 

The  sound  of  wheels,  stopping  at  the  gate, 
arrested  the  attention  of  the  speakers,  as  it 
was  not  a  common  occurrence  at  Miss  Ware's 
quiet  home. 

There  was  soon  a  decided  rap,  low  down 
on  the  front  door,  which  proved  to  have 
proceeded  from  Johnny's  hard  little  knuckles. 
He  had  come  full  of  glee  to  say,  "  Brother 
Tom  has  brought  down  father's  gray  horse 
and  the  buggy,  and  father  wants  Mr.  Cort- 
landt  to  just  use  them  to-day  as  if  they  were 
his  own." 

"I  shall  do  so,  right  gladly,"  said  Mr. 
Cortlandt.  "  I  thought  I  had  more  walking 
before  me  than  I  could  conveniently  do,  but 
now  I  shall  have  an  hour  to  spare,  to  come 
and  see  you  all  again.  You  must  tell  your 
father  I  shall  try  and  look  in  upon  you  to- 


THE  PROMISED  BLESSING.  153 

day  at  twelve,  as  I  want  to  see  you  all  to 
gether.  I  suppose  that  is  your  dinner-hour?" 

"  Yes,  that's  the  hour,  sir,  and  mother 
never  varies  from  it  five  minutes,  by  the 
clock.  I  don't  see  how  she  can  hit  it  so 
every  day,"  said  Johnny. 

"  Well,  master  Johnny,  we  will  try  and  be 
as  punctual.  Don't  forget  to  thank  your 
father  for  thinking  about  the  horse." 

"  You  are  quite  welcome,  I  am  sure,"  said 
the  boy,  with  a  parting  bow,  and  then  away 
he  ran  to  tell  his  more  diffident  brother  about 
the  promised  visit. 

Belle  was  delighted  to  be  able  to  accom 
pany  her  father,  though  she  had  very  little 
idea  as  to  what  his  business  could  be  in  the 
vicinity. 

She  was  seated  comfortably  beside  him  in 
the  buggy,  and  he  was  just  gathering  up  the 
reins,  when  Miss  Hansy  came  stepping  down 
the  wide  pavement,  at  a  more  rapid  pace  than 
was  her  wont. 

"  Harry,"  she  said,  "  thee  may  bring  the 
child  away  with  thee  from  the  farm,  if  the 


154  BELLE;  OR, 

little  thing  is  not  afraid  of  an  old  maid  like 
me,  and  the  Tildens  can  trust  her  with  me. 
I  want  a  young  face  to  look  at,  and  so  does 
father,  he  says." 

"  We'll  bring  you  Jany  towards  evening, 
I  think,"  said  Mr.  Cortlandt,  smiling.  "  Never 
call  yourself  an  old  maid,  Hansy,  or  I  will 
tell  about  old  times." 

Miss  Hansy  blushed,  and  turned  away  sud 
denly  towards  the  house. 

"  Do  tell  me  about  old  times  and  Miss 
Hansy,"  said  Belle,  as  the  buggy  left  the  gate. 

"  Miss  Hansy  shall  keep  her  own  secrets, 
though  I  know  much  of  her  past  life  that 
would  deeply  interest  you.  She  was  a  model 
of  filial  devotion  when  her  beauty  was  in  its 
freshness,  and  her  heart  warm  with  the  affec 
tions  of  youth.  Mr.  Heber  could  tell  you 
even  more  than  I  of  her  early  days.  It  was 
through  my  chance,  or  rather  providential, 
meeting  with  him,  that  I  learned  where  she 
had  fixed  her  home — that  sad  day,  last  winter." 

"  Did  you.  know  Mr.  Heber,  too,  before  ?" 
asked  Belle,  with  surprise. 


"•**>  •. 

-    ,'  • 

THE   PROMISED   BLESSING.  155 


"  Yes,  Belle,  and  to  him  I  owe  the  deepest 
gratitude  that  one  human  being  can  feel  for 
another.  It  was  he  who  first  taught  the  wild 
and  headstrong  Harry  Cortlandt  to  look  up 
ward  and  trust  in  his  God." 

Thus  chatting,  the  time  passed  pleasantly 
away.  Belle  had  never  before  felt  so  near  to 
her  father — so  able  to  understand  him  and  his 
noble  aims  and  wishes.  His  confidence  drew 
out  her  own,  and  much  was  said  that  day  by 
the  roadside  which  He  who  walked  with  the 
disciples  to  Emmaus  no  doubt  heard  and  ap 
proved. 

As  they  approached  the  cluster  of  buildings 
collected  round  the  tall  chimneys  of  the  fac 
tory,  Mr.  Cortlandt  checked  the  strong  horse, 
and  taking  his  purse  from  his  pocket,  he  said : 
"  Here,  Belle,  here  is  your  accumulated  pocket- 
money.  It  has  grown  to  quite  a  sum  since 
you  left  home.  You  may  do  what  you  please 
with  it." 

"  I  have  not  felt  the  need  of  it  at  all,  father, 
except — except  when  I  wanted  something  to 
give  away.  I  think  I  had  got  too  much  in  the 


156 

lutbit  of  spending  money  for  nonsense,  without 
any  thought,  but  now  I  shall  try  to  do  better." 

"  Well,  daughter,  I  shall  leave  you  here  at 
the  store ;  I  know  you  will  want  some  keep 
sakes  for  your  Sunday  scholars,  and  you  can 
be  busy  selecting  while  I  go  into  the  office." 

Belle  was  a  very  bright-looking  customer 
when  she  entered  the  store,  and  the  slender 
clerk  sprang  promptly  forward  to  know  her 
wishes. 

"  I  don't  know  what  I  want  yet,"  she  said, 
smiling,  as  she  looked  round  upon  the  ludi 
crous  variety  of  articles  collected  upon  the 
shelves  and  ranged  along  the  sides  of  the  little 
building. 

The  clerk  turned  away  in  despair  before 
Belle  made  up  her  mind  even  what  to  look 
at.  She  first  took  a  private  survey  of  her 
funds,  and  then  mentally  tried  to  make  a  satis 
factory  division  of  them  among  the  various 
claimants  upon  her  generosity.  She  must  care 
for  her  poor  Sunday  scholars  first ;  but  she 
would  like  some  token  of  remembrance  for 
Miss  Hansy  and  the  Tildens,  and  then  there 


THE   PROMISED   BLESSING.  157 

was  Mr.  Heber,  and  then  old  Amos  should  not 
be  forgotten. 

A  second  survey  of  the  small  shop-keeper's 
stock  in  trade  made  Belle  reluctantly  conclude 
to  confine  her  purchases  to  gifts  for  the  chil 
dren  and  old  Amos,  as  there  was  a  plain  absur 
dity  in  giving  calico,  flannel,  and  earthen-ware, 
by  way  of  remembrancers,  to  her  old  friends. 

Having  procured  a  comfortable  Sunday  dress 
for  each  of  her  scholars,  and  some  small  work 
ing  implements  for  the  field  and  the  house  for 
the  little  Tildens,  she  was  superintending  the 
putting  up  of  her  packages,  when  her  father 
came  in." 

"Well,  Belle,"  he  said,  cheerfully,  "are  you 
ready  for  your  visits?  I  can  go  with  you 
now." 

Belle  was  a  little  startled  at  the  idea  of 
having  her  father  for  a  spectator  to  her  dis 
comfiture  before  the  strong,  voluble  mothers  of 
her  children;  but  she  looked  at  her  packages, 
and  thus  armed,  she  hoped  she  should  do  bet 
ter  than  usual. 

Mr.  Cortlandt  put  the  various  purchases  in 
14 


158 

the  buggy,  and  in  a  few  moments  Belle  found 
herself  among  the  homes  of  her  little  friends. 
Mr.  Cortlandt  was  pleased  to  observe  the 
cordial  manner  in  which  Belle  was  greeted, 
and  she  felt  strengthened  and  supported  by 
her  father's  presence.  He  at  once  engaged  the 
mothers  in  conversation,  and  thus  gave  Belle 
the  opportunity  of  talking  with  the  children, 
and  distributing  her  gifts  unobserved.  Belle 
could  not  help  wondering  at  the  ease  with 
which  her  father  met  the  murmurs  of  the  wo 
men,  and  the  kindly  but  direct  way  in  which 
he  pointed  out  their  own  share  in  bringing 
about  the  evils  they  suffered,  and  the  only  sure 
and  lasting  relief  for  all  sorrow  and  trial.  He 
had  a  simple  remedy  to  propose  for  the  body 
racked  with  pain,  a  course  of  treatment  to 
suggest  for  the  unruly  son,  and  a  promise  to  give 
to  one  and  all  of  more  comfort  in  their  homes 
and  more  interest  in  them  on  the  part  of  their 
employers.  At  each  cottage  he  announced  the 
weekly  opening  of  a  vacant  ware-room,  for  a 
service  for  the  men  and  women,  and  obtained 
a  promise  of  influence  and  attendance.  Little 


THE  PKOMISED  BLESSING.  159 

by  little,  Belle  discovered  that  her  letters  on 
the  subject  of  the  condition  of  the  factory  peo 
ple  had  led  her  father  to  see  the  too  busy  city 
owner  of  the  property,  and  obtain  from  him 
a  permission  to  have  all  grievances  redressed, 
and  a  direct  effort  made  for  the  spiritual  good 
of  the  people  laboring  to  multiply  his  gains,  as 
well  as  to  earn  their  daily  bread. 

There  was  a  general  lamentation  among 
the  children  when  they  heard  that  this  was 
to  be  their  last  meeting  with  their  teacher, 
and  Becky  White,  who  had  once  been  the 
most  troublesome  member  of  the  class,'  cover 
ed  her  face  to  hide  her  tears,  as  she  said 
"  Oh,  Miss  Belle,  I  can't  have  you  go  and 
leave  me,  just  when  I  am  beginning  to  try  to 
be  better." 

"  Jesus  will  never  leave  you,  Becky ;  pray  to 
Him  and  He  will  help  you,"  whispered  Belle. 

"I  will,"  said  poor  Becky,  with  deep  earnest 
ness,  and  Belle  felt,  as  she  shook  hands  with 
the  tall,  coarse-looking  girl,  that  she  was  real 
ly  parting  with  one  she  cared  for,  one  drawn 
near  to  her  in  Christian  bonds. 


160  BELLE;!  OR, 

Belle  and  her  father  had  much  to  talk  of  as 
they  rode  from  the  factory  to  Tilden  farm, 
and  her  heart  was  full  of  gratitude  on  learning 
that  through  her  humble  efforts  for  her  poor 
scholars,  they  had  been  brought  into  notice, 
and  would  doubtless  reap  much  good,  both 
temporal  and  spiritual. 

As  the  gray  horse  stopped  instinctively  at 
the  wide  gate  with  which  he  was  so  familiar, 
Mr.  Cortlandt  said,  "  Not  yet,  old  fellow, — you 
must  wait  a  moment  here." 

The  "bonny  gray"  grew  quite  impatient 
before  he  was  permitted  to  tread  the  green 
lane.  Mr.  Cortlandt  had  his  own  large  par 
cel  to  open,  which  he  had  that  morning 
placed  in  the  buggy  himself.  It  contained 
a  handsome  set  of  engravings  of  scenes  from 
Scripture.  Belle  admired  the  beauty  of  the 
scenes  and  approved  the  neat  frames,  and  was 
heartily  delighted  when  her  father  told  her  he 
had  brought  them  for  her  to  present  as  a 
parting  gift  to  the  family  who  had  treated  her 
with  such  frank  kindness,  and  from  whom  she 
had  learned  so  many  valuable  lessons. 


'U 

THE   PKOMISED   BLESSING.  161 


After  dinner  was  over  at  the  farm,  Belle 
had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  the  general  satis 
faction  with  her  gifts,  and  of  witnessing  the 
hanging  of  the  Scripture  scenes  in  the  large 
parlor,  Mr.  Tilden  and  all  the  children  assist 
ing  at  the  ceremony. 

When  this  important  matter  was  attended 
to,  Mr.  Tilden  took  Nan  and  stepped  out  up 
on  the  porch  to  give  the  baby  her  usual  after- 
dinner  ride  in  his  strong  arms.  Mr.  Cort- 
landt  followed,  and  said,  "  I  came  partly  on 
business  to-day,  Mr.  Tilden;  I  want  to  know 
if  you  can  spare  Nanny's  little  girl,  to  com 
fort  Miss  Hansy  when  Belle  is  gone." 

"Never,  while  I  live!"  said  Mr.  Tilden,  and 
he  pressed  the  babe  more  closely  to  his  heart. 

Mr.  Cortlandt  saw  by  this  gesture,  and  the 
glance  at  the  baby,  that  his  meaning  had  been 
mistaken,  and  hastened  to  say,  "I  do  not  mean 
your  pet  there,  but  little  Jany." 

"  Jany !"  said  Mr.  Tilden  with  an  air  of 
relief,  "Jany,  I  should  not  like  to  spare  her 
either — she  is  welcome  to  stay  at  Tilden  farm, 

as  long  as  we  have  a  roof  over  us." 
14* 


162  BELLE;  OR, 

"I  do  not  doubt  that,  but  you  have  a 
houseful  of  your  own,  and  Miss  Hansy  has 
but  a  little  family  at  the  best,  and  few  to  care 
for.  That  poor  old  man  can  not  last  long, 
and  then  what  a  comfort  it  will  be  to  her  to 
have  a  young  heart  to  turn  to.  What  say 
you  ?  may  Jany  go  ?" 

"  If  that's  her  choice ;  but  she  shan't  go 
against  her  will.  And  her  home  is  here,  here 
always,  when  she  is  not  with  Miss  Ware. 
That  must  be  understood,"  said  Mr.  Tilden, 
almost  bluntly. 

Mrs.  Tilderi's  consent  was  not  more  easily 
gained. 

She  was  in  no  hurry  to  part  with  the 
motherless  little  one  to  whom  she  had  open 
ed  her  heart. 

On  Belle  the  task  devolved  of  finding  out 
the  wishes  of  Jany  ..herself. 

At  first  it  was  hard  to  discover  what  the 
child  wanted,  for  she  would  only  cry  and  cling 
to  Belle,  saying  she  could  not  part  with  her 
sweet  young  lady  ;  and  she  was  quite  too 
sorrowful  to  think  of  any  thing  else. 


THE   PROMISED   BLESSING.  163 

After  much  comforting  and  coaxing,  the 
child  was  calmed  and  ready  to  give  her  at 
tention  to  the  proposal  made. 

She  caught  at  the  idea  of  being  useful  to 
Miss  Hansy,  which  Belle  put  forward  as  the 
great  inducement  for  changing  her  home. 

It  was  now  that  Jany  showed  the  full 
strength  of  her  gratitude  to  those  who  had 
sheltered  her  in  her  helplessness.  "  They 
have  cared  for  all  three  of  us,  and  Mrs.  Til- 
den  has  many  steps  to  take.  Jany  is  glad 
to  go  and  do  something  for  herself,"  said  the 
little  thing  at  length,  "  and  by-and-by,  when 
Jany  knows  more,  and  is  a  better  girl,  and 
all  the  others  are  grown  up  and  gone  away, 
Jany  will  come  back  to  take  care  of  Papa 
and  Mamma  Tilden,  and  live  with  little  Nan. 
That  will  be  the  way,  won't  it,  Miss  Belle  ?" 

"  Perhaps  so,  Jany,"  said  Belle,  trying  to 
encourage  her. 

In  this  spirit,  Jany  saw  her  little  wardrobe 
packed  and  stowed  away  in  the  buggy,  and 
cheerfully  took  her  seat  on  the  small  trunk 
which  contained  her  valuables. 


164  BELLE;  OR, 

Belle  was  glad  when  the  parting  with  her 
kind  country  friends  was  over,  and  her  heart 
was  too  full  to  talk  as  her  father  drove  ra 
pidly  towards  Miss  "Ware's. 

Miss  Hansy  gave  little  Jany  one  of  her  kind 
kisses,  and  led  her  gently  up  the  steps  to  her 
new  home. 

The  atmosphere  seemed  to  suit  Jany  at  once. 
"It  is  sweet  and  quiet  here,  and  I  like  it," 
she  whispered  to  Belle,  as  she  bade  her  good 
night.  "  I  think  I  shall  learn  to  be  good 
here,  and  that  is  best." 

Twenty-four  hours  after  Jany  was  establish 
ed  in  her  new  home,  Belle  had  bidden  adieu 
to  Miss  Hansy,  heard  Mr.  Ware's  feeble  words 
of  regret  at  parting,  and  was  far  on  her  jour 
ney. 

Mr.  Heber  was  again  among  the  passengers, 
and  his  presence  seemed  to  make  Belle  doubly 
alive  to  the  change  in  her  views  and  charac 
ter  since  they  were  before  shut  up  in  the 
same  stage-coach. 

To  the  conversation  between  the  old  cler 
gyman  and  her  father,  she  was  no  longer 


THE  PROMISED  BLESSING.  165 

an  idle  listener,  half  interested  and  half  for 
getful  of  its  progress.  The  subjects  of  which 
they  talked  had  become  dear  to  her,  too, 
and  when  they  spoke  of  the  factory  people 
and  their  improvement,  she  became  so  much 
absorbed  that,  had  the  coach  moved  at  rail 
road  pace,  she  could  not  have  seemed  to  pass 
more  rapidly  onwards. 

As  they  drew  near  her  own  dear  home, 
on  the  second  day  of  their  journey,  Belle 
grew  sad  at  the  remembrance  of  all  her  past 
misconduct,  and  almost  afraid  to  trust  herself 
in  the  midst  of  old  temptations.  "  Though 
they  fall,  they  shall  not  be  utterly  cast  down," 
thought  she,  and  in  the  comfort  of  this 
promise  she  put  aside  her  fears,  and  gave 
way  to  the  pleasant  musing  on  the  delight 
of  being  once  more  at  home. 

When  she  had  been  clasped  in  her  mother's 
arms,  warmly  welcomed  by  Willy,  and  was 
again  at  the  pleasant  tea-table,  she  felt  as  if 
she  were  too  happy,  too  much  blessed,  even 
to  suffer  a  cloud  to  cross  her  brow  or  a  mur 
mur  to  enter  her  heart. 


166  BELLE;  OR, 


CHAPTER  XT. 

OLD      TEMPTATIONS. 

BELLE  CORTLANDT  had  been  at  home  a 
whole  month,  and  the  days  had  flown  by  as 
in  a  happy  dream.  Not  a  word  of  reproof 
had  fallen  on  her  ear  since  her  return,  and 
none  indeed  had  been  merited.  It  had  been 
the  daily  effort  of  the  repentant  daughter  to 
spare  her  mother  every  unnecessary  care,  and 
to  minister  to  her  comfort  and  pleasure.  Belle 
had  not  been  irritated  by  the  continual  teas 
ing  to  which  she  had  formerly  been  subjected, 
for  Willy  had  made  his  own  good  resolu 
tions.  He  had  suffered  much  in  secret  from 
the  thought  that  some  mischief  on  his  part 
had  put  Belle  out  of  temper  on  the  morn 
ing  of  her  sudden  exit  from  home,  and  he 
was  determined  to  forbear  the  malicious  pleas- 


THE  PROMISED  BLESSING.  167 

ure  he  had  in  seeing  her  dignity  cast  down, 
and  her  serenity  ruffled. 

Mr.  Cortlandt  watched  with  daily  thankful 
ness  the  pleasant  state  of  things  under  his 
roof,  and  rejoiced  that  he  had  had  firmness 
to  persevere  in  the  plan  that  had  been  of 
such  incalculable  benefit  to  his  daughter. 

Willy  Cortlandt,  though  a  well-meaning,  af 
fectionate  boy,  was  not  guided  by  fixed  prin 
ciples,  or  accustomed  to  strict  self-government. 
By  degrees  the  respect  he  felt  for  Belle,  after 
her  long  absence  wore  away,  and  in  the  fa 
miliarity  of  daily  life  he  began  to  forget  his 
good  resolutions.  Belle  bore  his  renewed  at 
tacks  with  wonderful  composure,  and  tried  to 
answer  him  playfully,  even  while  her  color 
heightened,  and  her  figure  involuntarily 
straightened  with  rising  indignation. 

One  morning  Willy  had  exhausted,  in  vain, 
all  the  artillery  that  once  was  so  effective. 
Belle,  when  no  longer  able  to  command  her 
self  had  recourse  to  perfect  silence.  Willy, 
on  his  part,  became  irritated  at  last,  and  said, 
angrily,  "  I  don't  see  any  use  in  persons  pre- 


168  BELLE;  OR, 

tending  to  be  so  good  all  on  a  sudden.  I  do 
hate  a  hypocrite,  above  all  things." 

"  A  hypocrite !"  said  Belle,  indignantly, 
"  that  is  too  bad  !  Willy,  you  are  the  most 
provoking  boy  I  ever  saw  in  my  life." 

"  See  the  saint !  see  the  saint !"  said  Willy, 
dancing  round  Belle,  and  making  wild  leaps 
in  the  air,  as  he  continued  to  shout,  "  See  the 
saint !" 

Belle  was  confused  by  the  uproar,  and 
thoroughly  angry.  She  rose  hastily  to  leave 
the  room.  Willy  stood  in  her  way,  continu 
ing  his  capers  and  shouts.  Belle  pushed 
him  rudely  aside  with  all  her  strength,  and 
passed  out. 

As  she  was  crossing  the  hall,  she  met  her 
mother,  who  said  to  her,  "  Go  dress  yourself, 
quickly,  Belle ;  there  is  a  visitor  in  the  par 
lor,  and  I  want  you  there." 

"  I  cannot  come,  now !"  said  Belle  rudely, 
as  she  passed  on. 

"  Stop,  Belle !"  said  the  mother,  authorita 
tively,  "stop!" 

"  I  say  I  cannot  come,    now !"   said  Belle, 


THE   PROMISED   BLESSING.  169 

resolutely  keeping  on  her  way,  as  she  mut 
tered,  "I  wish  I  could  ever  be  let  alone!" 

Not  many  minutes  after  Belle  had  uttered 
these  angry  words,  she  heard  a  carriage  drive 
from  the  door,  and  when  she  again  came 
down  stairs  the  house  was  still  and  deserted. 
Willy  was  away  at  school,  and  her  father 
and  mother,  she  understood,  had  gone  into 
town  with  their  guest,  to  pass  the  day. 

That  long  day  was  one  of  bitter  repentance 
to  poor  Belle.  Her  resolutions  had  been  bro 
ken,  the  feelings  of  her  dear,  forgiving  mo 
ther  again  outraged,  and  Willy  had  received 
cause  for  believing  that  the  new  principles 
professed  by  his  sister  were  indeed  but  an 
idle  pretence. 

NOT  was  this  all.  Belle  bitterly  remembered 
that  the  meek  and  gentle  Saviour,  who  forgave 
His  enemies  on  the  cross,  had  been  a  grieved 
witness  of  her  downfall.  On  her  knees  she 
sought  His  pardon,  with  a  sorrow  those  only 
can  know  who  have  so  sinned  against  their 
Redeemer  and  disgraced  Him  whom  they 

would  serve. 
15 


170  BELLE;  OR, 

When  "Willy  came  home  to  dinner,  he  ex 
pected  to  find  Belle  sullen  and  silent.  He  had 
hardly  entered  the  dining-room  when  she  went 
up  to  him,  and  taking  both  of  his  hands  in 
hers,  she  said — 

"  I  was  impatient  and  rude  to  you  this 
morning,  Willy  ;  will  you  forgive  me  ?"  The 
tears  in  her  eyes  attested  the  sincerity  of  her 
regret,  and  her  brother  was  at  once  touched. 

"  Forgive  you,  Belle  !"  he  said,  warmly  ;  "/ 
was  the  one  in  the  wrong,  and  I  thought  I 
should  never  be  so  foolish  again.  Belle,  I  do 
not  believe  you  are  a  hypocrite.  There's  some 
thing  real  in  a  religion  that  could  make  you 
own  up  to  a  fault  in  that  way.  I  know  it  goes 
hard  with  you.  I  love  you  better  now  than  I 
ever  did  in  my  life!" 

"It  is  indeed  something  real,  Willy,"  said 
Belle,  earnestly.  "And  I  do  wish  you  would 
try  to  know  more  of  it  yourself.  I  know  I 
am  not  fit  to  advise  anybody  ;  but  indeed  I 
am  far  happier  than  I  used  to  be,  before  I  even 
tried  to  do  right." 

"And  a  great  deal  better  and  sweeter,    I 


THE  PROMISED  BLESSING.  171 

say,"  said  Willy,  really  moved  by  the  humil 
ity  of  manner  so  unnatural  to  his  sister's  proud 
character.  "  Come,  Belle,  sit  down  to  dinner, 
and  I  will  try  never  to  tease  you  again." 

"And  will  you  not  try  to  be  all  I  want 
you  to  be?"  said  Belle,  earnestly. 

"  Perhaps,"  said  Willy  smiling ;  but  in  his 
heart  he  felt  her  tender  appeal. 

The  afternoon  seemed  long  to  Belle,  and 
when  the  night  came  on,  dark  and  misty, 
Willy  found  it  quite  impossible  to  keep  up 
his  sister's  spirits ;  she  was  impatient  to  beg 
the  forgiveness  of  the  mother  whom  she  had 
disobeyed,  and  to  own  her  entire  unworthi- 
ness  of  all  the  tenderness  and  kindness  she 
received. 

The  hours  passed  on,  and  in  the  darkness  of 
the  night  there  was  no  sound  of  wheels  or 
trampling  of  hoofs.  At  last  a  slow  and  heavy 
tread  was  heard  along  the  road  that  wound 
among  the  trees  at  Oakside. 

Belle  seized  a  light  and  ran  to  the  door,  and 
out  into  the  misty  air. 

A  sight  met  her  eyes   that  filled  her  with 


172  BELLE;  OR, 

anguish.  Stretched  upon  a  litter  lay  her  mo 
ther,  pale  and  silent,  while  her  father  and  Mr. 
Heber,  sad  and  anxious,  walked  beside  the 
strong  men  who  carried  her  so  carefully 
along. 

On  they  bore  her  to  her  quiet  room,  and 
laid  her  gently  on  the  bed.  The  physician 
who  had  accompanied  them  staid  at  her  side, 
and  himself  attended  to  administering  the  rem 
edies  he  had  prescribed. 

Belle  felt  the  tender,  trustful  manner  in 
which  her  father  spoke  to  her  as  a  constant 
reproach.  She  well  understood  that  her  lov 
ing  mother  had  forborne  mentioning  the  rude 
ness  which  had  so  grieved  her  in  the  daughter 
whom  she  had  taken  anew  to  her  heart. 

Mr.  Heber  had  no  time  to  ask  Belle  why 
she  had  not  come  in  to  enjoy  the  surprise 
her  mother  had  intended  for  her  in  the  morn 
ing.  In  the  short  interview  he  had  with  Belle, 
he  had  only  time  to  tell  her  how  the  horses, 
affrighted  by  a  sudden  flash  of  lightning  in 
the  darkness  of  the  night,  had  plunged  down 
a  steep  bank,  and  how,  under  the  broken  re- 


THE   PROMISED  BLESSING.  173 

mains  of  the  carriage,  Mrs.  Cortlandt  had  been 
found  maimed  and  senseless. 

It  were  useless  to  try  to  describe  the  anguish 
of  Belle  during  the  long  night  that  passed,  in 
which  her  mother's  eyes  never  opened  and 
her  hands  never  stirred.  Only  the  faint  beat 
ing  of  her  heart  gave  signs  of  continued  life, 
and  encouraged  the  anxious  watchers  at  her 
bedside  to  make  efforts  for  her  restoration. 

Firmly,  with  prayer,  poor  Belle  resolved  if 
she  should  ever  hear  that  mother's  voice  again, 
never  to  allow  herself,  under  any  temptation, 
to  speak  to  her  one  word  which  she  should  re 
member  with  pain  when  parted  forever.  She 
realized  now  the  fearful  truth,  that  there  is  but 
a  step  betwixt  life  and  death,  and  the  angry 
words  that  spring  to  the  lips  may  be  the  last 
we  are  to  speak  to  those  we  love. 

The  morning  came,  and  with  it  slow  signs 
of  returning  life.  Belle  longed  to  linger  at 
her  mother's  side,  but  she  feared  the  sight  of 
her  face  might  so  strike  her  mother  with  pain 

as  to  send  back  to  the  heart  the  blood   that 
15* 


174  BELLE;  OR, 

was  now  beginning  faintly  to  tinge  the  pallid 
cheek,  and  warm,  the  death-like  fingers. 

As  unworthy  to  minister  in  the  sick  room, 
Belle  shrank  away.  Her  father  sought  her 
out,  and  found  her  weeping  bitterly.  She  con 
fessed  to  him  the  fault  she  now  so  deplored, 
and  prepared  to  meet  his  displeasure,  as  a  part 
of  her  punishment. 

"Poor  child!"  he  said  tenderly,  as  he  took 
her  to  his  arms,  "you  did  but  reap  what  you 
had  sown.  Your  old  habits  sprang  up  and 
triumphed  over  you.  God  grant  that  it  may 
be  the  last  time  you  are  so  punished  for  the 
past!" 

"But  will  she  ever,  ever  speak  again?" 
said  Belle,  anxiously ;  "  shall  I  hear  her  call 
me  'dear  daughter'  once  more?" 

"Take  comfort,  child,"  said  the  father, 
striving  to  speak  cheerfully;  "Doctor  Taylor 
gives  us  much  encouragement.  Come,  and 
do  what  you  can  for  your  dear  mother.  She 
will  but  remember  that  you  are  her  daughter 
whom  she  tenderly  loves." 


THE  PKOMISED  BLESSING.  175 

Poor  Belle  came  humbly  back  to  the  sick 
room,  and  gladly  went  to  and  fro  all  day, 
never  thinking  of  weary  foot  or  trembling 
hand  while  she  could  do  something  for  her 
own  dear,  living  mother. 


176  BELLE;  OR, 


CONCLUSION. 

DAYS  and  weeks  passed  by,  as  slowly,  very 
slowly  Mrs.  Cortlandt  began  to  recover. 
Belle  was  ever  at  her  side,  ministering  to  her 
wants  with  skilful  tenderness,  and  nursing 
her  with  the  judgment  of  one  of  riper  years. 

Mr.  Cortlandt,  who  was  obliged  to  be  much 
from  home,  felt  his  dear  wife  quite  safe  in  the 
hands  of  his  now  self-governed  and  affection 
ate  daughter. 

As  the  winter  wore  away,  Mrs.  Cortlandt's 
strength  in  a  measure  returned,  but  she  was 
no  longer  the  active,  busy  head  of  the  house 
hold,  who  had  spared  others  all  care,  and 
anticipated  their  every  want.  It  was  now 
Belle's  turn  to  assume  domestic  cares,  and 
make  home  comfortable,  and  she  often  felt  the 
value  of  the  homely  knowledge  she  had  learn 
ed  at  Miss  Ware's  and  amid  the  comfort  of 
Tilden  farm. 


THE  PROMISED  BLESSING.  177 

She  loved  to  hear  her  father  praise  the 
neatness  of  his  home  and  the  good  manage 
ment  of  his  daughter,  but  most  of  all,  she 
loved  to  hear  her  mother  say,  "  Belle,  where 
is  Belle?  Come,  daughter,  I  want  you  near 
me,  to  feel  quite  happy." 

Belle  had  arranged  her  mother's  easy-chair 
in  the  warmest  corner,  one  winter  evening. 
Side  by  side  they  had  sat  talking  of  the  "  bet 
ter  land  "  in  store  for  all  who  are  faithful-  un 
to  death. 

Willy  had  seemed  an  indifferent  listener 
to  their  conversation  in  the  dim  firelight,  at 
least  he  had  sat  in  perfect  silenqe,  with  his 
face  turned  from  the  speakers. 

"  Willy,"  said  the  gentle  voice  of  the 
mother,  at  length,  "shall  we  not  be  a  family 
in  heaven  ?  will  not  my  only  son  be  there  ?" 

"I  hope  so,  I  believe  so,"  said  Willy, 
softly. 

Belle  put  her  arm  tenderly  around  her 
brother,  as  she  murmured,  "Oh  Willy,  I  am 
so  full  of  joy." 

"  And    you    well    may  be,"  he  answered : 


178  BELLE,    ETC. 

i 

"  for,  under  Christ,  to  you  I  owe  my  hope 
of  heaven.  Your  gentle  words,  the  day  of 
mother's  accident,  first  touched  me,  and,  O 
how  I  thank  you!" 

Belle  was  too  much  moved  to  speak,  but 
she  looked  upward  with  deep  thankfulness  and 
an  humble  though  rejoicing  heart. 

""We  shall  be  a  family  in  heaven,"  said 
the  mother,  earnestly. 

".Yes,"  said  Mr.  Cortlandt ;  "yes,  thank 
God!  Then  laying  his  hand  on  the  head  of 
his  daughter,  he  added,  "  Yes,  choice  bless- 
ings  both  in  this  world  and  the  next  must 

o 

descend  on  her  who  has  learned  so  lovingly 
to  keep  the  Commandment  with  promise." 


THE     END 


